The Magician
by E.B. Keane-Farrell
Summary: This tale is about an ottermaid with no home, no family, nothing. She finds her way to Redwall, and then the Abbey is laid seige by thousands, maybe millions, of vermin. And that's only half of the army of Deyinvo Ejunn, Ermine Warlord and Conqueror..DONE
1. Kabble Ionaeyes the Magician

CHAPTER ONE, KABBLE IONAEYES THE MAGICIAN  
  
() Life has been going crazily for the past week. I decided to quit, then no, then yes, then no. finally, I decided with no quitting. Why? Look, my friends, I know that you are extremely angry with ff.net, and I am too, but I cannot give up my love for writing. That would be wrong. So I am upset, but I can't give up writing fan fics. That's just not me. I support you, but I'm not quitting. Never quitting writing.  
  
I got rid of my other fics. Well, not completely destroyed them, just took them off of ff.net. Why? Am I crazy? Yeah, I suppose I am. I just can't live without having at least one fic up there. And here it is. "The Magician". If you wish to see my other fics, then e-mail me or ask in a review and I'll e-mail it to you. Okay? Thanks. KittyHorse, anime-link, I support you, but I can't join you. I hope that this isn't one of those "either you're with us or with them" type of things, because I respect you for quitting ff.net, but I just can't bring myself to do it. Why? Because ff.net has brought me friends, including you two. It brought me fp.com, which is incredible. It brought me to realize that I must continue editing and writing my own stories, or I will never get a book published by the time I'm thirteen...Yeah, in fact, I am twelve-years-old. Now, that's the only time I will say it! Please, everyone who became my friend, don't doubt me or hate me because I'm younger or older then you. Just treat me as you always do.  
  
Thank you. ()  
  
It was a sunny day over the beach near Salamandastron. The currant Badger Lady, Lady Varsha Midelli, was gazing out of an arrow slit. She did not like the feeling outside. Something was wrong. She could feel it in her fur.  
  
Varsha was the youngest ever ruler of Salamandastron. When she was a badgerbabe she had abandoned by her parents. Her lifelong friend, who was only a little hare at the time, had found her crying in a hollow log. The hare, named Korufylo Speechyard, or Koru for short, had brought Varsha back to Salamandastron. Koru had named the badgerbabe after his grandmother, who had been one of the bravest Salamandastron hares ever. He and his parents took care of the orphan, with the reigning Badger Lord's help. The Badger Lord had died in a terrible battle when Varsha was nearing her teen seasons. Two seasons later, Varsha became the Badger Lady.  
  
"Marm Varsha? Summat wrong, marm?" asked a voice. Varsha knew the voice of Quidjill Dearhare perfectly. The young haremaid was a dear, bright and springy, polite and always looking out for others. But when battle came, nobeast except for the Badger Lady herself was better with a sword.  
  
"Yes. Something IS wrong, Jill. Come look through an arrow slit."  
  
Quidjill did as she was bid. She looked through the arrow slit next to Varsha.  
  
"Beggin' yer pardon, marm, but I don't see nothin' wrong, wot."  
  
"Do you see ANYTHING out there, Jill? Anything? Do you HEAR anything?" Varsha barked.  
  
"See anythin'? Well, 'less I was blind I wouldn' see anythin', wot wot! Well, I see bushes 'n' reeds 'n' rushes 'n' rocks...Marm, wot're you playin' at?"  
  
"There's nobeast out there. That's what worries me. No sounds. You cannot even hear a fish jumping in the water." Varsha took her eyes away from the arrow slit.  
  
"Maybe I'm just overcautious, Jill. Or paranoid."  
  
"Overcautious, maybe, marm, but ne'er paranoid, no marm!" Quidjill confirmed. Varsha smiled at the haremaid.  
  
"Now, you must've come to see me for something, right? What is it?" asked Varsha kindly.  
  
"Marm, there's an ole mouse who wants to speak with ye."  
  
Varsha looked very scared. "Did he say his name?" he ordered.  
  
"Well, err, marm, I wasn't there, I can't say I remember..." Quidjill was nervous to see Varsha so scared.  
  
"Answer me, hare! Did he or did he not say his name!" snarled Varsha.  
  
"Yes marm! He spoke his name, marm!" Quidjill's eyes glistened with unshed tears. "I...I forget, m-marm!"  
  
"I'm sorry, Jill. Shh, calm down. I shouldn't have lost my temper on such a goodbeast like you, should I? Now, you stay here and tell me if you spot anything. I must go and meet this, err, mouse." Badger Lady Varsha picked up a double-edged, double-hilted sword and sheathed it on her waist.  
  
"Marm, 'e's just a mouse, wot! I don't think you should be struttin' 'round, wav'n' that thing at 'im!"  
  
"Quidjill, I know what's best. Stay here and do not let ANYTHING slip your gaze, do you understand?" Varsha left before Quidjill could reply.  
  
"Varsh, ole badger, how're ye, wot wot wot wot wot!" greeted Koru cheerily. The hare was known for adding a lot of "wots" to his speech.  
  
"Haru, where is the mouse?" demanded Varsha. Koru noticed that Varsha carried her giant sword and his face grew serious. He pointed with one ear as he replied, "Marm, the mouse is in the dinin' hall, marm! Be careful, marm, he 'as a fishy look 'round 'im if yer askin' me, wot wot wot wot!"  
  
"I wasn't 'asking ye, wot wot wot wot', but something is wrong with him. What mouse would come at this time of day?" Varsha headed towards the dining hall and saw the mouse eating at one end of the table.  
  
"So!" snarled Varsha. "Kabble Ionaeyes, if it isn't you!"  
  
The mouse, Kabble Ionaeyes, looked up at Varsha. His eyes were violet colored, bulging in his sockets. The mouse had dirty brown fur, almost black. His tail had a great deal of soot on it, but Varsha knew that his tail was bald.  
  
"Who let Kabble in?" snarled Varsha, looking around at her hares. "Look at his tail!"  
  
The Badger Lady snatched Kabble's goblet of Strawberry Cordial from the table and tipped the cordial onto Kabble's tail. The soot washed away.  
  
"He is a rat! He had bamboozled you all!" yelled Varsha hoarsely. She turned from her dumbstruck hares to Kabble. "Kabble, you rat, why did you come back! I thought I had gotten rid of you!"  
  
"You had killed my horde but not me." Kabble spoke in a droning voice.  
  
"I don't care! Get away! Get away! I never wish to remember the past! Ever!" yelled Varsha. "Stay out, Kabble Ionaeyes, and never return! I want you to go! If you leave in the table in the next five seconds you will live!"  
  
Kabble looked at Varsha with his bulging eyes. Varsha shielded her face with a paw. "You magician! You cannot play your trickery on me!" Kabble leapt from the table.  
  
"Korufylo Speechyard, Egua Rarfin, Mateo Dearhare, make sure that this...this...this SCUM never enters Salamandastron again! Escort him out and keep him out!" Varsha ordered. Koru, an old hare named Egua, and Quidjill's brother, Mateo, followed Kabble Ionaeyes the Magician outside, making sure that the rat didn't try any funny tricks. Egua knew hand-to-hand combat and would use it at any cost.  
  
"Oh, and hares?"  
  
The three hares glanced at their Badger Lady.  
  
"DO NOT LOOK AT HIS EYES!" warned Varsha. The trio nodded and continued to follow Kabble outside.  
  
Varsha wearily returned to Quidjill.  
  
"Marm, who was the mouse?"  
  
"'Twas no mouse, Jill. 'Twas none other than Kabble Ionaeyes."  
  
"Who?" Quidjill was bewildered.  
  
"The Magician. The magic rat," replied Varsha heavily, sitting by an arrow slit.  
  
"The Magician visited Salamandastron? Our mountain?" Quidjill asked excitedly. "But, oh marm! Why, he's a legend! Why did ye send 'im away, marm? I heard that he was a good rat, wot!"  
  
"Kabble...changed his way when he heard of Redwall Abbey. He wanted to steal it for himself. He used his magical eyes to make innocent woodlanders to follow the mad rat. He and his second-in-command were the only two who were not hypnotized by him to join. He stormed Redwall, but, like always, whoever the Champion was then banished him and his horde, slaying all but Kabble Ionaeyes and the second-in-command. They escaped."  
  
"Marm, how d'you know all of this, wot?" asked Quidjill Dearhare, intrigued.  
  
Varsha's eyes hardened. "I heard it."  
  
"From who?" asked the curious haremaid.  
  
"From everyone! Everyone knows the story," snapped Varsha, losing her quick temper again. "Now, watch for signs of big vermin hordes. I have a feeling that we'll be seeing them soon." 


	2. Escape From the Village

CHAPTER TWO, ESCAPE FROM THE VILLAGE  
  
Abbess Leafswirl was sitting with her brother, Foremole. Leafswirl was the first ever mole abbot or abbess of Redwall Abbey. The huge, red-going-on- pink building reared in front of the two, who were idly sipping October Ale.  
  
"Hurr hurr, this is ee loife, b'ain't et, bruvver?" chuckled Leafswirl as she took a large swig of her October Ale.  
  
"Shore is, moi durr Sisser." Foremole stretched out on the grass, looking at the bell tower of Redwall.  
  
"Lookit thurr. Ee Dibbuns are playin' in ee pond." Leafswirl pointed a blunt digging claw at the Abbey Pond. "Can ee burleev that we was Dibbuns when ee last gurt attack on ee Abbey came? Came from ee magicken! Does ee r'member ee maigicken's name?"  
  
"Nay, Oi doon't. Wuzzent ole Abbot Jabilo aloive then? Hurr, that ole otter. Then ee passered et ont' ole Abbot Naresh, the ole shrew. Then ee shrew passered et ont' yew, dinnit ee?"  
  
"Aye, ee did," Leafswirl nodded. She then looked up. "Hurr, bruvver, Oi feels et in moi diggen clawses. Summat is wrong out thurr, in ee big world. Oi kin feels et!"  
  
"So do Oi, Abbess." Foremole looked at his digging claws. "So do Oi."  
  
In a small village North of Redwall were many creatures, living in harmony. There were shrews, mice, hares, rabbits, otters, moles, hedgehogs, and even more.  
  
"Da!" came a yell. An otter named Eyeshine Swordslash turned to see his youngest child, Songtamer, racing towards him.  
  
"Da, Da!" she cried. Eyeshine swept Songtamer up into his arms.  
  
"Songtamer! I thought I was going to be able to escape saying good-bye to you," joked Eyeshine.  
  
"Da, you silly merchant," scolded Songtamer, "why didn't you come and see me? I was just swimming with my friends."  
  
"I knew you would find me anyways before I went to trade with the hedgehogs," laughed Eyeshine, hugging his daughter. "But I must go. I'll see you when I get back."  
  
"Promise?" asked the young ottermaid eagerly.  
  
"I promise," Eyeshine promised. "Mayhaps I can get the family a gift?"  
  
Eyeshine looked into Songtamer's soft, eager black eyes. "Don't worry, Song. I'll be back."  
  
Song gave her dad another hug and then ran back home.  
  
Honeyflower Swordslash opened a letter. She gasped. "Song, get Bowfire."  
  
Song ran outside to get her elder brother, Bowfire. She brought him inside. Honeyflower read the letter aloud.  
  
"'Dear Mrs. Swordslash,  
  
Your husband, Eyeshine has been killed. He and his crew were duped by a crew of murderous vermin. The hedgehogs he was doing trade with have been captured.'" Honeyflower dropped the letter.  
  
"Da can't be dead!" Songtamer yelled. "He promised he'd come back! He promised...he promised..." Songtamer broke apart, weeping. Bowfire did not weep, but got up, took the bow that he had earned his name from, and went to practice.  
  
For weeks he and his sister practiced archery and sword fighting.  
  
"Song," Bowfire announced one day, "you are good enough to help me with my revenge."  
  
"R-revenge?" cried Songtamer. "I'm not getting revenge on no one!"  
  
"Except for the murderous vermin who slew Da." Bowfire looked at Songtamer. "Song, are you coming?"  
  
"No," replied Songtamer. Bowfire gritted his teeth.  
  
"Coward," he spat. He pushed Songtamer aside and strode out the door.  
  
A month later, Bowfire staggered into the house. He had a nasty gash on his head.  
  
"Bowfire! My son! You are back!" cried Honeyflower. She noticed the cut and tried to nurse him back to health.  
  
Bowfire died days later.  
  
A season passed with no events happening. Faster than a speeding arrow came a plague that swept the village.  
  
Honeyflower Swordslash packed all of the food except for two week's worth of it in a haversack which she shoved at Songtamer Swordslash. She filled all of their flasks with water.  
  
"Quick, my dear otter," sobbed Honeyflower. "Run to the South! That is where Redwall Abbey is."  
  
Songtamer's eyes widened. "The Abbey that Da talked about?"  
  
"Yes! Hurry. If I am not joining Bowfire and Eyeshine in a week, then I will follow ye. Run, Song, run!" shouted Honeyflower. Songtamer nodded her head and began to run to the South. She met up with her playmate, a hedgehog named Hyas Stickspike.  
  
"Hyas! I have to run to Redwall Abbey," panted Songtamer as she and Hyas ran away from their village.  
  
"So do I! Let's run together," suggested Hyas.  
  
"Good idea!" Songtamer agreed. Her friend smiled as they raced on.  
  
Hyas slowed down. The hedgehog dropped to the ground.  
  
"Songy..." he moaned. "I don't feel so well..."  
  
Hyas retched all over the ground. Song shuddered as she saw what Hyas had eaten and drank yesterday.  
  
"Hyas, come on, we'll be okay." Songtamer felt tears in her eyes. "Hyas, you gotta live." Tears fell down Songtamer's soft brown fur. "Please. Live." Songtamer let the tears fall down her front, splashing onto her smock and the ground.  
  
"Songy, please...go without me," Hyas pleaded. "I don't think I can survive..."  
  
Songtamer wept openly. "I can't, Hyas, I can't..."  
  
"Then we'll both die," whispered Hyas. "I'm gonna go to the gates of the Dark Forest soon. Go."  
  
Songtamer shed more tears and then raced away from her dying friend, Hyas.  
  
"Song? Song, my little ottermaid!"  
  
Songtamer looked around to see Honeyflower.  
  
"Momma!" she cried happily. She embraced her mother warmly. They shared a late lunch and then continued to Redwall.  
  
Honeyflower raised a weak paw and pounded on the doors of Redwall Abbey. "Hello?" she called out hoarsely. "Please, help us."  
  
Four heads poked over the North wall. The heads were of Foremole, Skipper of Otters, Log-a-Log Quiodia, and Badgermum Nuria Firemouth.  
  
"Who are you?" called down old Quiodia, who had bad eyes in her old age.  
  
"Harrharr, can't you see,'s otterfolk like me! Open up the gates, Hakan Furlgate!" shouted Skipper down to the Gatekeeper, Hakan Furlgate. The old squirrel shuffled towards the gate and opened it. Honeyflower dragged herself in and deposited her unconscious daughter on the ground.  
  
"Marm, are you okay?" asked Skipper anxiously.  
  
"Please...help Songtamer..." gasped Honeyflower, and fainted.  
  
"Nuria, lend a hand, mate!" Skipper yelled at the Badgermum. Nuria Firemouth trundled down the steps and scooped up the two otters easily. She hurried into Redwall Abbey and up to the Infirmary.  
  
Okay I'm stopping there. Enjoooooooooooooooooooooooy! 


	3. The Nameless Ottermaid

CHAPTER THREE, THE NAMELESS OTTERMAID  
  
"'m sorry, ottermaid, but your mother...is dead." Songtamer looked up at the infirmary keeper, a stuttering and nervous-around-strangers vole, Brother Marrev. Songtamer said nothing to this news, just looked up at Marrev with eyes filled with no emotion. If Marrev hadn't known any better, he could have said that Songtamer was dead, too.  
  
"Ottermaid? Miss, what was your mother's name?" Marrev asked of Songtamer. Song hadn't spoken a word since her arrival. Honeyflower had spoken few words, mainly about keeping her daughter alive.  
  
Songtamer stood up from her position on the ground. In four seasons she would reach her teen seasons. Five seasons into Bowfire's teen seasons was when he had died...and called her a coward! Songtamer regretted allowing him to go without a farewell, without telling him to be cautious.  
  
"Honeyflower," she whispered hoarsely. "Momma...was Honeyflower."  
  
"Honeyflower? What a sweet name," Brother Marrev commented softly. "Really, ottermaid, don't blame yourself on this. What is YOUR name?"  
  
Songtamer looked at Marrev and shook her head.  
  
"Don't you have a name?" asked Marrev kindly. Songtamer blinked her eyes slowly at Marrev, keeping them closed for a few seconds. She let a sigh escaped from her nose, not opening her mouth, and turned away.  
  
"Ottermaid...?" whispered the vole.  
  
"Wot's wrong wi' yon ottermaid, mate?" asked Skipper of Otters. He had just sidled up from Cavern Hole. Cavern Hole was slightly underground, with a huge roaring fireplace in the wintertime to keep it snug. It was always at the right temperature, whether it was Spring, Summer, Autumn, or Winter.  
  
"She won't speak, Skip," grunted Marrev. "She won't speak."  
  
"Wot? Why not? Did she tell you 'er name?" asked Skipper.  
  
"Skip, I tole ye, she won't speak! Mayhaps she'll lissen to one of her own folk?" suggested Marrev.  
  
"Mayhaps...I'll go talk to her. See you, Marrev!" Skipper called over his shoulder to the Infirmary Keeper as he trundled away.  
  
"Ottermaid?" Skipper caught up with Songtamer. The ottermaid kept on walking. "Lissen, matey, maybe we can talk..."  
  
"I'm no one's matey," whispered Song. "No one calls me matey, now that Hyas is dead. They don't go to the Dark Forest, d'you hear? They go to death. A world who no one does anything. They don't live some other life in the Dark Forest. THEY'RE DEAD."  
  
"Hyas? Who was that, matey – um, ottermaid?" asked Skipper softly.  
  
"Hyas Stickspike. MY chum. Now go away," Songtamer whispered. She began to run away from Skipper.  
  
"Lissen, ottermaid! Wot's yer name!" Skipper called after the ottermaid. Songtamer shook her head.  
  
Later that day, Songtamer took a vow of silence. She would speak to no one and keep to herself. She may live inside the ground of Redwall, but she would not live IN Redwall!  
  
Varsha stood at a window, looking 'round.  
  
"Korufylo's runnin' back with news, marm! Look at 'im, wot! Running like there's a score of vermin on his scut!" laughed Quidjill Dearhare. She saw Koru leap over a rotten log. Quidjill went pale. "Good lord, Varsha marm, there IS a score of vermin on his scut!"  
  
Varsha gripped the windowsill. "KORU! RUN TOWARDS US! SWIFTLY!" she bellowed out the window. Varsha turned to Quidjill. "Jill, listen to me. The life of the bravest hare depends on YOU. Warn every hare that there's an army of vermin out there. I know there is! Hurry, Jill! Warn the hares! Ask as many as possible to come with me. Quidjill, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" asked Varsha seriously. The nervous haremaid nodded and quickly bounded away to where the other hares would be. Varsha strapped on her battle sword and drew it. She had named the huge weapon Flamebird. In her capable paws, sparks flew and it soared down like a bird.  
  
"Come, Flamebird! Let's hew some vermin," growled Varsha. She ran down to the steps of Salamandastron with hares following her.  
  
"Marm, who's out there?" panted Mateo Dearhare.  
  
"It's Korufylo, wot!" panted back Egua Rarfin. "He's being chased by a score of vermin, says yore dear ole sis!"  
  
"Euulaaaaliiiaaaa!" The battle cry of hares and badgers was heard by both vermin and goodbeasts alike. Varsha swung Flamebird down on a stoat and two rats before the vermin knew what was happening.  
  
"Marm! Thank goodness you're here..." began Korufylo, but Varsha cut him off.  
  
"Just run back, Koru, run back!"  
  
"Me, leave you here with only a dozen behind yore back, wot wot wot wot wot? Ne'er, I say, marm, never!" declared Koru. He turned to the vermin and called, "C'mon, you beastly vermin, let's see wot ye got, wot wot wot wot wot wot!"  
  
Flamebird was seen slicing and chopping down at every vermin. Swords and paws weren't nearly as fast as Flamebird.  
  
"Leave one alive!" yelled Varsha. "We need to question!"  
  
When all of the vermin except for a marten and two rats were dead, Varsha knocked them to the ground. She stood over the marten.  
  
"You," she growled. "Who sent you?"  
  
"S-second-in-command Kabble Ionaeyes," whimpered the marten. "Just don't kill me!" she added.  
  
"NEVER SPEAK OF IONAEYES TO ME AGAIN!" roared Varsha. "Who is the first-in- command?"  
  
"First-in-c-command?" whimpered the marten, looking at the two rats close by, who had killed by the contact with Varsha's paw.  
  
"Yes, first-in-command, the warlord, the horde leader, WHO IS IT?!" shouted Varsha.  
  
"'Tis....Deyinvo Ejunn the Conqueror..." whispered the marten.  
  
"THAT EVIL ERMINE?!" hollered Varsha angrily. "Never...in my days...did I expect to hear of Deyinvo again..."  
  
"You're heard of Deyinvo before, marm?" asked Mateo.  
  
"Silence, Dearhare. All of ye, go back to the mountain. I'll deal with this marten!" Varsha snarled. The hares nodded and filed back to the mountain. Their Badger Lady could deal with a whimpering, sniveling, vermin like that marten any day.  
  
Varsha pulled the marten to her feet. She stripped the marten of any weapons, including the hidden knife in her inside pocket. Varsha stripped the marten of her uniform.  
  
"If you go back to Deyinvo then you will be killed. If I ever see or hear of you again, then the hares at my mountain and I will kill you." Varsha paused to let this sink in. "Understand?"  
  
The frightened marten nodded.  
  
"Good! Now, SCRAM!" yelled Varsha, whacking the marten on the rump with her sword. The marten gave a squeal of pain and ran off in the opposite direction of where Deyinvo's horde was.  
  
"Why are they coming back to haunt me?" muttered Varsha as she headed back to Salamandastron. "I thought that they had left me for good when we – they – lost Redwall..."  
  
Varsha gripped her sword tighter. "Never speak of that again, Varsh," she instructed herself. "Remember, THEY lost Redwall. Not WE."  
  
The Badger Lady headed back to her mountain.  
  
Mateo Dearhare, who had been hiding behind a rock, keeping an eye on his Badger Lady, let his mouth open in shock, something that Dearhares never let happen.  
  
"WE?" he whispered. "She lost Redwall...?" He stood up, his eyes opened wide. He then hit him.  
  
"Da always told stories of when the Badger Lady would run off when she was young. The Bader Lord didn't care, he knew that she could take care of herself...so she went and joined Kabble Ionaeyes! Deyinvo must've been part of the horde, wot. So then when she lost at Redwall, our Lady must've realized wot she was doing! Oh, corks! Our Badger Lady..." Mateo swallowed before his continued talking to himself. "Our Badger Lady worked with vermin!"  
  
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	4. Odell Kiggum

CHAPTER FOUR, ODELL KIGGUM  
  
Badgermum Nuria Firemouth sat with the ottermaid.  
  
"Listen, ottermaid, we can't get any farther without you telling us your name," Nuria explained gently as Songtamer sat by the Abbey Pond. "Will you just tell us your name?" pleaded Nuria.  
  
"Badgermum, Badgermum!" called the voice of a mousebabe. "Mum Nur'a, when are you gonna play wiv us?" asked the mousebabe, Furrlun.  
  
"Not NOW, Furrlun. I'm questioning the ottermaid." Nuria turned to continue talking to Songtamer, but the ottermaid had already slipping into the Pond.  
  
"Fine. Be that way," Nuria called stiffly to Songtamer. Nuria scooped up Furrlun. "Come on, Furr, let's go inside."  
  
Song watched Nuria retreating. She laughed at something Furrlun had said. Songtamer pined for the days when she was living in her village.  
  
'If Hyas was alive, we could have been living together,' she thought sadly.  
  
"Is your name really Ottermaid?" asked a young voice. Songtamer looked to see an otterbabe looking at her curiously. Song smiled for the first time since before her father had been betrayed and murdered. She scooped the otterbabe out of the water and swam to the side of the Pond.  
  
"'Course not. Hah, Ottermaid? Is that what everyone's sayin' 'bout me?" tittered Songtamer.  
  
"You speak," the otterbabe pointed out.  
  
"Yeah, I noticed that."  
  
"Wot's yer real name?" asked the Dibbun.  
  
"Why, it's Songtamer Swordslash." Song looked surprised that she had told the otterbabe her name when she hadn't even told Abbes Leafswirl. "Wot's yers?" she asked.  
  
"Mine bees Odell Kiggum. You kin call me's Odell," added on the otterbabe.  
  
"You can call me Song or Songtamer. But don't tell anyone that's my name, okay, little matey? Just call me 'Ottermaid' 'round the others."  
  
Odell smiled at Songtamer. "You wanna be chums?"  
  
"Do I!" Song exclaimed enthusiastically. "How old are you?"  
  
"I've been out of my Dibbun seasons for twee seasons, but I still play wiv my Dibbun mates," explained Odell.  
  
"Why do you talk like that then? Like an otterbabe?" asked Songtamer.  
  
"'S easier, don' you t'ink? 'S so much easier th'n 'avin' t'say all o' de words and letterers all de times. And sometimes it sounds funny. I could speak like 'n adult otter, but I don' wanna," Odell proclaimed.  
  
"Can I hear you talk like an adult otter?" asked Songtamer.  
  
"Oh...okay." Odell cleared his throat. "Here, I am talking like an adult otter. Is there anything else to say? Nope, nothing. Okay, can – MAY – I go back to speaking like a Dibbun?"  
  
Song grinned. "'Couse ye may, matey. You know, you don't always have to have proper grammar and stuff like that. Look, I don't!"  
  
"But no 'un e'er 'ears you speaks," whined Odell. "They don' care."  
  
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()() ()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()  
  
"We have to do something about Ottermaid," Nuria told Great Hall firmly over supper.  
  
"Oi agree wi' ye, Badgermum Nur'a, but wot kin we do?" sighed Abbess Leafswirl.  
  
"I don't know," Nuria admitted. "The only idea is to trap her somewhere with no food or water till she talks, but that's just – "  
  
"Cruel-'earted!" yelled Odell, standing up on his chair.  
  
"Thankee, Odell, but I was about to tell everyone that," Nuria replied stiffly.  
  
"We must do something about this," Log-a-Log called out. (The shrews were staying at Redwall for a while.) "It's not everyday that some Nameless Ottermaid shows up on the doorsteps of Redwall Abbey, is it?"  
  
"She dinnit just 'show up'," protested Odell. "She came wiv her mummy, 'oo died! You guys wouldent talk if yer mum died when you just traveled who knows 'ow far, and then yer ma died!"  
  
There was a silence. How did the young otterchild, who all still thought of as a Dibbun, know so much?  
  
"I mean to say," Odell continued into the embarrassing silence, "why would she talk? Vermin call this place back luck, 's common knowledge that they do. So why wouldn't she think that this place is back luck, too? Accursed, as they say!"  
  
"Odell, THAT IS ENOUGH!" shouted Nuria. Odell sat back in his chair.  
  
Even though he was a young one, the words he had spoken stung the Redwallers.  
  
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()() ()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()  
  
"Hey there, little harey."  
  
Mateo felt a knife at his throat, the back of his neck, and on the sides of his neck. If he even move one inch, they would kill him.  
  
"Who are you, you bally vermin! C'mon, don't keep me like this like a coward – oh, whoops, you ARE cowards!" The Dearhares, when in a situation like this, where known for being able to shoot out insults to make their enemy angry, and then unable to concentrate.  
  
"Yer insults won't 'urt us," sneered the vermin. "C'mon, Lord Deyinvo is waiting. So is Sir Kabble!"  
  
Mateo was dragged along. He lost consciousness somewhere over the journey. When he awoke, it was dusk.  
  
"Let me go, you bally rotters, wot!" demanded Mateo. "My Badger Lady – despite, her, uh, past – will come 'n' kill you all! How d'ye feel about that, you verminy type chaps, wot wot? Hahahahaha – oof, ow!"  
  
A ferret, a weasel, a stoat, and a rat were mercilessly beating Mateo Dearhare with the flat of their weapons.  
  
"Verminy types, I don't think! We are...wait, Grudain, wot does the Warlord always tell us?" the rat asked the ferret.  
  
"Harrairdus, will you EVER remember? Anyways, we're not 'verminy types'. As Warlord says, we're 'mindless idiots with a brilliant and great leader'."  
  
"Yes, you're 'warlord' got the mindless idiot part right. But the brilliant and great leader part? I think NOT – ugh, ow!" cried Mateo. Grudain the ferret cackled.  
  
"Thissun has a good sense of humor. Pity we gotta kill it. Ye know, it looks like the other bunny we captured."  
  
"'Scuse me, verminy types – uh, mindless idiots, I mean – oh never mind – but we're hares, not rabbits or bunnies, we're h – wot d'you mean, other hare you caught?" asked Mateo.  
  
"We got another bunny like yew," explained the stoat, grinning maliciously. "Ain't that right, Sadru?"  
  
"Yeah," confirmed the weasel. "Another bunny. Woinada's right."  
  
"Woinada! Sadru! Grudain! Harrairdus! Are you torturing this hare or telling it about the daily life of you thickheads?" boomed a voice.  
  
"Ah, finally! Thankee, chappy, for realizing that I am not a bunny, but a hare, wot wot! Now, who is the other hare you captured?" asked Mateo innocently.  
  
"Silence!" yelled the voice. From behind a tree came a gray ermine. This ermine had flecks of white on its face and the tip of its tail was black. The sleek, stoat-like creature came up to Mateo.  
  
"I am Deyinvo. You never ask questions of me or you will die," Deyinvo hissed, holding a razor-sharp claw underneath Mateo's chin.  
  
"Well, I say, vermin thingy, you better bally well watch out where you put those claws, wot!" Mateo gulped.  
  
Deyinvo gave a scream of fury. Mateo had obviously said the wrong thing. The enraged ermine slashed with his claws at Mateo's face. The hare turned his face to defend his eyes and got slashed on the cheek by the claws.  
  
"Never call me a vermin again, you...you...you...you beast!" snarled Deyinvo. Shaking with rage, the ermine slunk off to the shadowy trees.  
  
"I thought you told me that these hares would be easy."  
  
"Lord, I meant only AFTER I hypnotized them..."  
  
"Kabble Ionaeyes, do not take me for some thickhead! I am Deyinvo Ejunn, the mightiest ermine warlord ever!"  
  
"Sir, many have tried to capture this place. Remember Ferahgo the Assassin? Swartt Sixclaws? Gormad Tunn? Gormad's son, Damug Warfang? Ungatt Trun? These are only four out of the many leader who have tried to capture Salamandastron and – "  
  
"Who was Ferahgo the Assassin? Some mangy weasel. Who was Swartt Sixclaws? Some stupid ferret! Gormad Tunn? Some rat! His son was a rat, too. And Ungatt Trun? Like this mountain can be brought down by a kitty! Look at me, Kabble. I am an ermine. I will conquer where no ermine has conquered before. Do you understand me? I SAID LOOK AT ME, KABBLE! Do you understand me?"  
  
"Y-yes, Milord."  
  
"Good. Now, get out of my sight before I lose my temper!"  
  
Quidjill Dearhare, who had been captured, gave a small sob of despair when she heard Kabble tossed to the ground and scurry away. 


	5. The Nameday Feast

CHAPTER FIVE, THE NAMEDAY FEAST  
  
"Milady Varsha!" came a worried voice as Varsha slept in her room. She was on a stone bed that jutted out of the walls of Salamandastron. The badgermaid's eyes flickered open.  
  
"Varsha, lady, come quick, chappess, wot!"  
  
Varsha rolled out of bed and opened up her door. She saw Korufylo, Egua, and another hare named Lilyblossom standing in front of her door anxiously.  
  
"Hares, it's the middle of the night. What is it?" grumbled Varsha.  
  
"Lady, Lily here rooms with Jill and I here room with Mateo – "  
  
"Koru, I know that! Just get to the point!"  
  
"Well, it IS the middle of the night, marm, and they haven't come back, wot!" explained Egua.  
  
"Oh no," moaned Varsha softly. "Oh no oh no oh no oh no OH NO!"  
  
"Marm?"  
  
"Lily, go rouse the hares. I believe that those vermin have captured Mateo and Quidjill Dearhare!"  
  
Song sat with Odell. The sun was setting in the east, making the sun reflect from their eyes and from the great Abbey Pond.  
  
"Tomorrow's we're havin' a Nameday Feast," commented Odell. "Maybe you wanna come?"  
  
Before Songtamer Swordslash could shake her head, Odell added softly, "I'd like it if you came and played for once. Maybe had some fun?"  
  
Songtamer looked down at the youngster, whose wide, innocent eyes were hopeful.  
  
"I'll – I'll think of it, Odell," Songtamer mumbled at last. "I'll think of it."  
  
When Songtamer woke the next morning, she gasped in surprise and pleasure. The whole Abbey grounds had been transformed into a carnival! There were games like Scale-the-Greasy-Pole and archery tests, footpaw races and swimming races. There was also a race that went around the perimeter of the Abbey grounds. There was a race that was on the ground and one that went on the Abbey wall. Songtamer grinned happily as she gazed all around.  
  
"See, see?" Odell called joyously to her. "I tole youse that it would be worth it!"  
  
All of the elders glanced at Songtamer, who they had recently dubbed "Waterfish".  
  
"Hi Odell," Songtamer murmured to her friend.  
  
"Hi Waterfish – um, Songtamer."  
  
"Waterfish? Why am I now 'Waterfish'?" asked Songtamer, slightly amused.  
  
"That's wot ev'ry'un calls ye now, Waterfish. Only you'n'me know that yer real name is Songtamer, right?" Odell asked.  
  
"Right," confirmed Songtamer. She closed her eyes and slowly deleted her old names from her memory: Song, Songy, Songo, Song-Song, Singasong, Singy, Songtamer, Tamer of Song, and Tamey were all lost from her memory. She locked them secretly in a hidden space in her mind and would not open it until necessary. She opened her eyes.  
  
"Odell...call me Waterfish, okay?"  
  
"Okay..." Odell paused. "Why?"  
  
Waterfish crouched beside Odell.  
  
"Lissen, mate. If they want me to be Waterfish, then I will be Waterfish. If they want me to be Ottermaid, then I will be Ottermaid. If they want me to be Songtamer, then I will be Songtamer. I just want to fit in. Report to me wot they say about me so that I can act that way."  
  
"Okay." Odell glanced around. "Furrlun is waitin' for me. I gotta go!"  
  
Odell ran off to join Furrlun the mousebabe at the Scale-the-Greasy-Pole game.  
  
Waterfish watched as the Dibbuns tried to scale the greasy pole. Odell, Furrlun, a squirrelbabe, a molemaid, a volemaid, a shrewbabe, and a hoglet were all standing on top of each other's heads, trying to reach the giant bag of candied chestnuts. Waterfish hadn't had candied chestnuts since before Eyeshine had left. She watched the Dibbuns, Odell on the bottom, then the volemaid, the shrewbabe, the squirrelbabe, Furrlun, the molemaid, and the hoglet on the top, teeter. The hoglet grappled the pole, squeaking in dismay as they toppled over. The hoglet held on for a few moments, scrabbling to the top, and then he fell.  
  
Nuria smiled at the Dibbuns. "You did well, my little Dibbuns. Next in line. Skip, you're going to try – and fail – again?" scoffed the Badgermum.  
  
"Not failin' this time, ole badger," Skipper assured her as he spat on his paws, rubbed them together, and gripped the pole.  
  
All of the rest in line, who were mainly Dibbuns, gaped in awe as the big and brawny otter scaled the pole with ease. He was just a few feet away when the grease got the better of him and he began to slip. Skipper tried to grab the bag of candied chestnuts and hang onto the pole at the same time, but instead he slid down, covered in grease.  
  
Waterfish chuckled as Skipper got up. Skipper shrugged, "Well, I failed that. But I've bet Kella that I'd beat her in the swimming race. Oh, look, there she is!" Skipper raced off to the pond's edge to join an otter of his crew.  
  
Waterfish, who had been leaning against the wall in shadows to observe everybeast and everything, pushed herself off of the wall and sauntered over to the Scale-the-Greasy-Pole game. Some of the older Redwallers gave her strange looks as she stood behind Odell, who had rejoined the line after he and his friends had failed.  
  
Waterfish crouched beside Odell.  
  
"Hi there. You tole me to have some fun, so I'm going to win this and share the prize with you. I haven't eaten candied chestnuts since my da went away and n-never ret-t-turned..." Waterfish stopped. Odell nodded understandably and turned back to watch the next Redwaller, Cellarhog Louveenia Spike. She winked at the crowd.  
  
"This's how you get to the top o' the pole," she boasted. Louveenia was a very pompous hedgehog, but made the best October Ale since the days of Ambrose Spike, who only Louveenia remembered, because she was a distant relative.  
  
Louveenia gripped the pole with her paws and held it tight. She put her footpaws near the base of the pole and then put one paw in front of the other paw until she lifted from the ground. She then latched her footpaws onto the pole and used those to ascend neatly.  
  
"Haha! See, I told ye that I could do it!" she yelled triumphantly. She saw the prize up ahead and grinned. She reached out a paw to grab it, but she was too far away. She began to climb farther up, and she reached out a paw. Louveenia felt the bag beneath her fingers and gave a yell of triumph. A second later, she gave a yell of despair as she swiftly slid back to the ground, covered in grease and empty-pawed.  
  
"Louveenia, I think that you should go wash up in the Pond and then go back to tending October Ale instead of climbing greasy poles," laughed Nuria as the Cellarhog, her ego hurt, sauntered back to the Abbey.  
  
"Who is next?" called out Badgermum Nuria. Waterfish came forward. Everyone in line gasped; even Nuria gave a sign of surprise. She raised her eyebrows, but then shrugged.  
  
"Okay, Waterfish, see if you can climb this pole," challenged Nuria.  
  
Waterfish gave her a look that read: I can, and I will!  
  
"Go do it, then." Nuria crossed her arms across her chest.  
  
Waterfish grabbed the pole and began to ascend without a word. The crowd was silent, not even giving cheers of encouragement or yells of discouragement. But Waterfish didn't care. She just looked at the prize up ahead.  
  
As Waterfish got to the top and could've grabbed the prize in her teeth, she began to slip.  
  
"See? I knew she couldn't do it," someone chuckled loudly so that Waterfish could hear.  
  
Just to prove them wrong, Waterfish grabbed the bag of candied chestnuts in her mouth and turned around on the pole. She grinned as Odell and his Dibbun friends cheered.  
  
"Yay Waterfish!!!" cheered Odell happily.  
  
Waterfish landed on the ground and held the bag tightly in her hand. She hurried to the Abbey Pond, washed the grease off of her, and then went to join her Dibbun friends and Odell.  
  
"I knew I'd get them for you. I just didn't proclaim it loudly to let you guys down," explained Waterfish.  
  
"You talk," exclaimed all of the Dibbuns except Odell.  
  
"Yes I do," laughed Waterfish. She set the bag down and crouched beside her friends. The contents spilled out of the bag and the Dibbuns dived on them greedily. Waterfish grabbed a pawful of the nuts and picked one out of her paw.  
  
"How long ago did your da die?" asked Odell. "How long has it been since you've eaten a candied chestnut?"  
  
"My da went away about...eight seasons ago."  
  
"Eight seasons! Tha's more'n my age!" exclaimed Furrlun.  
  
"Burr, thawt's more'n Oi kin count on moi claws!" The molemaid counted on her claws. "Oops, ne'er moind, I KIN count t'et on moi claws."  
  
All eight burst out laughing.  
  
"I don't like how those Dibbuns are playing with Waterfish," sniffed one of the Redwall elders, a shrew named Dusan. "Look at them! Waterfish is probably filling their heads with nonsense, telling them what to do – "  
  
"Dusan!" barked Nuria sharply. "Redwallers never insult other Redwallers, even if the Redwaller is a bit – well, maybe a lot – slightly – "  
  
"Strange?" volunteered Log-a-Log. "Look, Nuria, I agree that we shouldn't insult each other, but look at Waterfish! Her only friends are Dibbuns, she never speaks, we know nothing of her past – "  
  
Nuria put up a paw to stop Log-a-Log to continue going on. "I suppose you're right," sighed Nuria, sitting down on the ground.  
  
Hours later, all of the games except for the wallrace and groundrace were over.  
  
"C'mon, Waterfish, go race," urged the volemaid, Cora.  
  
"Yeah!" agreed the hoglet, Akio.  
  
"Cummon, it'll be fuh-un." Kaikura the squirrelbabe spoke in a singsong voice.  
  
"Oi wud loike ee t' come. Wurr gonna run on ee grund!" molemaid Fawn explained.  
  
"'n' yew kin run on the wall!" Vanig, the shrewbabe, exclaimed excitedly.  
  
"Please?" asked Odell softly.  
  
Furrlun put on what he expected was a pleading look. Waterfish gave a chortle and patted her Dibbun friends heads.  
  
"'Course I'll come and play wi' ye." Waterfish picked up Furrlun, the smallest, and held Cora's paw as they walked over to where the rest of the Abbeydwellers were lining up to race.  
  
"Wait!" squeaked out Vanig. "We're gonna race!"  
  
"So is Waterfish! On the wall!" Akio yelled.  
  
Waterfish froze as every Abbeydweller glared at her. She reddened and lowered her head.  
  
"You will – r-race?" asked Log-a-Log, the judge.  
  
Waterfish gave one sharp nod.  
  
"Well then!" Log-a-Log clapped his paws together. "The wall or ground?"  
  
Waterfish sauntered over to the stairs up to the wall top. She took a place next to Kaikura, who was running on the wall, too. Kaikura winked at her.  
  
"See, this'll be lotsa fun," he whispered. "You'll see!"  
  
Waterfish shrugged. She had never been very fast, only in water, for she was an otter, of course.  
  
"On yer mark!" barked Log-a-Log. "Get set!!" He held his arm right above his head, a red kerchief in his paw. He dropped his arm, let go of the handkerchief, and yelled, "Gooooo!" all at the same time. Those on the wall and the ground were off. On the ground, some of the Dibbuns had gone the wrong way. Vanig, Fawn, Furrlun, and Cora all sat down and Fawn used her digging claws to dig for something that they had buried.  
  
"What're you lookin' for, Fawn?" asked Cora the volemaid.  
  
"Burr, Oi'm lukken furr ee woormeys. They'm orful delishush!" Fawn explained.  
  
"But my mum tole me that eatin' wormeys was bad for you," pointed out Vanig.  
  
"I wanna try a wormey! I've neva 'ad a wormey b'fore," Furrlun exclaimed.  
  
"Hey, lookit those racers!" Cora laughed, and pointed to a vole and a shrew that were having a heated argument.  
  
"Well, aren't you supposed to look where you're going!?" yelled the vole.  
  
"I yelled, 'Look out, Meyyundo!' But did you lissen? Noooooooo!" yelled back the shrew.  
  
"I demand that Argentina is put out of the race!" screamed Meyyundo the vole. "I demand it! She was running and banged right into me!"  
  
"Well, if Meyyundo wasn't DEAF IN BOTH EARS!" Argentina the shrew had screamed the last words in Meyyundo's ear, making the vole leap back, covering his ears with both paws.  
  
"Oops! I guess he's not!" Argentina cackled. She continued running, even though she was in dead last.  
  
"I'm – not – done with – YOU! You – little shrew!" yelled Meyyundo, still shaking from having his ears screamed in. He raced after Argentina.  
  
Up on the wall top it was a different story. No one was going the wrong way or banging into each other, but people were getting into arguments.  
  
"Hey! Look! Kaikura is holding onto Waterfish! That's cheating!" pouted a mouse, Fryungle, who had always wanted to win but spent too much of his time eating in the kitchens. He was in 2nd place and would be in 1st if Waterfish wasn't ahead of him, running with ease.  
  
"It's on'y cheatin' if Waterfish doesn't want me to be wi' her!" yelled Kaikura the squirrel.  
  
Waterfish turned a sharp corner and Kaikura wobbled and fell.  
  
"I'm going to win," taunted Fryungle. "You just wait! You'll be sobbing in last!"  
  
Waterfish turned her head and bared he teeth, but that was all she did. She seemed completely unperturbed by the insults.  
  
"You'll lose!" Fryungle yelled. "You'll lose!"  
  
Waterfish picked up speed as she turned to last corner. She could see the Finish Line right ahead.  
  
"YOU'RE MOTHER PROBABLY DIED BECAUSE SHE HATED YOU! YOU PROBABLY POISONED HER!" Fryungle screamed, completely losing his head, as Waterfish crossed the line. Waterfish turned 'round and grabbed Fryungle by his neck. She held him tight.  
  
"No, no, I didn't mean it!" choked out Fryungle. The mouse was surprised to see tears in the ottermaid's eyes. Waterfish rasped out hoarsely, as though she was going to cry, "If I wasn't on Redwall grounds and you weren't a stupid mouse I will kill you for that remark."  
  
She dropped Fryungle and stepped over the Finish Line again. Fryungle crawled over the Finish Line in second, and then Louveenia and Skipper of Otters in third.  
  
"The, uh, the winner iiiiiiiiiiiis – Wa-waterfiiiiiiiiiish!" cried Log-a- Log.  
  
"Burr, ee Authum of Ruzzy Dun is off to ee gurt start," Abbess Leafswirl proclaimed. The Redwallers applauded. The sun was setting on the first day of the Autumn of the Rosy Dawn.  
  
"Noaw izzunt a toime t'mak ee speeches. Oi bet that ull o' ye arr as 'ungry as Oi em!" shouted Leafswirl, and there was a grand cheer. The Redwallers dug in, even though half of them didn't understand a word of molespeech.  
  
"Pass that cordial."  
  
"Here you go. Hey, Louveenia, pass me the turnip'n'tater'n'beetroot deeper'n'ever pie!"  
  
"Here. Have you tried a bit of my October Ale? I think that's it's the finest batch ever."  
  
"Cellarhog! I think that it's a bit too watery."  
  
"How dare you, Fryungle...!"  
  
Suddenly, there was a loud shout from Brother Marrev. "Come quickly!" he yelled. "Oh, hurry!"  
  
Waterfish, along with Skipper and his crew, Log-a-Log and his crew (the Guosim, also known of Guerilla Union of Shrews in Mossflower), Foremole and his moles, and other Redwallers.  
  
"What is it, Brother?" asked Fryungle the mouse.  
  
"Kaikura has been missing since the race. I saw a bit of his smock over the edge of the Abbey walls. I swear it, he's lost in Mossflower Woods!" Marrev cried.  
  
"Impossible! When? Where? How?" shouted the jumble of voices. Waterfish ignored all of Marrev's details and ran out of the Abbey doors and into Mossflower Woods, searching for Kaikura the squirrelbabe.  
  
() Hey! Please read and review! ()  
  
See REDWALL and MATTIMEO 


	6. Loss of Martin the Warrior's Sword

CHAPTER SIX, THE LOSS OF THE SWORD OF MARTIN THE WARRIOR  
  
Badgerlady Varsha and a score of her hairs crept through the night.  
  
"Remember," whispered Varsha, "we mustn't be seen." Varsha glared at Koru, who had just opened his mouth to reply, "Of course, me ole Lady, wot wot wot wot wot!" when Varsha added, "Or heard!"  
  
Koru closed his mouth and bit the inside of his mouth to stop himself from retorting.  
  
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Harrairdus heard a muffled grunt next to him. The rat sat up, whispering, "Sadru? Sadru, weasel mate, wot's goin' on?"  
  
Suddenly a huge paw was clamped over his mouth. Harrairdus tried to scream and looked into the frightened eyes of Sadru the weasel. Harrairdus saw two hares keeping Sadru subdued, one hare keeping Woinada the stoat in check, three fighting to keep Grudain the ferret under control, and so that meant...  
  
"You will do as we say," whispered the voice of Varsha. "You will lead us to Mateo and Quidjill Dearhare. If you do not, we will find them anyways. But first, we shall kill you so that you cannot raise the alarm. Is that understood, rat?"  
  
Harrairdus gave a whimper and nodded his head, too frightened to disagree.  
  
"Good, good," Varsha dragged Harrairdus over to where Korufylo, Lilyblossom, Egua, and several other hares were. Varsha was glad that the vermin were not getting her impatient and that she was not yelling. Varsha smiled at the hares and they smiled back. They each tore off a strip of their tunics and tied them into gags. Stuffing the gags into the vermin's mouths, they tied up their arms behind their backs.  
  
"Lead on," hissed Varsha, drawing Flamebird, "or you'll feel my wrath."  
  
Woinada took the first step towards where the captive hares were.  
  
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"Hello? Kaikura? Hello?" called out Waterfish, looking for the young squirrel. "Kaikura! Come out here!"  
  
'What if he was captured by vermin?' she wondered worriedly. 'Oh dear!'  
  
Suddenly, there was a scream far off into the Woods. Waterfish, almost sure that her worst fear was true, ran to where the scream was coming from. Waterfish suddenly heard a male voice yelling, "Reeeedddwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall!"  
  
Waterfish saw Skipper crashing through the brush, holding the sword of Martin the Warrior aloft. Waterfish sped after Skipper. Log-a-Log followed Skipper, screaming the Guosim war cry as he drew his shrew rapier, "Logalogalogalogalogalogalogalog!"  
  
Waterfish had no war cry to yell, no words to shout, as she leapt towards where Skipper and Log-a-Log were.  
  
An adder was taunting Kaikura, sizing him up, seeing what a good meal he would make. The little squirrelbabe was too frightened to move.  
  
Suddenly, a brown streak was in there like a flash. The otter bit the adder's neck and the adder wriggled away, trying to be free of its burden.  
  
Skipper and Log-a-Log jumped into the fight. Log-a-Log scooped up Kaikura and pushed the Abbeybabe away from the snake.  
  
"Hurry, Skip, let's kill this thing!" cried Log-a-Log. He and Skipper used their blades to slice at the adders, ducking and weaving out of its way. Waterfish, on the other paw, was a mad demon as she tore at the adder's flesh.  
  
The adder went limp and did not move. Skipper staggered against a tree, falling to the ground.  
  
"Skipper," exclaimed Log-a-Log in alarm, kneeling beside his friend. "Oh, Skip..." Log-a-Log checked the Otter Chieftain's wounds. "Err, I'll go back to Redwall with Kaikura and get Brother Marrev!"  
  
"No, mate, no," rasped Skipper, but Log-a-Log had already dashed away.  
  
Waterfish rushed to the side of Skipper.  
  
"Whozzat?" he gasped. "Ah, Waterfish."  
  
"Skip?" murmured the ottermaid. "Skip, are you gonna be okay?"  
  
Skipper closed his eyes and shook his head. "Nay, Wa'erfish, I won't be. Arr, I've lived a long life. 'Twas a nice life. I was Skipper of Otters. And I lived to hear the nameless ottermaid speak, eh?" Skipper opened his eyes. They were clouding over, but he could still see. "No, Waterfish, don't weep..."  
  
Waterfish looked away, trying to cover up her tears. Then she noticed that Skipper's paws were devoid of any weapon.  
  
"Where's the sword?" she asked. "The sword of Martin?"  
  
Waterfish looked at the dead adder. Another adder, smaller and obviously the dead adder's mate, came slithering out the underbrush. Waterfish leapt up and grabbed a stick to fight the adder with, but the adder had grabbed Martin the Warrior's sword and had slithered away...  
  
"No!" cried Waterfish. She looked back at Skipper, but he was already gone to the Gates of Dark Forest. Waterfish wasted no time in shedding tears over him, for he would not have wanted that. Skipper would have wanted for Waterfish to have run after that adder.  
  
Waterfish cleared a patch of dirt free of leaves and used a stick to scribble in: "SKIPPER OF OTTERS: TRUEST WARRIOR".  
  
Waterfish then stood up and relieved Skipper of his sling and stone pouch, along with a small otter javelin. Waterfish stood up and then followed the tracks of the adder. 


	7. Freeing the Captives

CHATPER SEVEN, FREEING THE CAPTIVES  
  
Badgerlady Varsha followed the frightened stoat, Woinada, through the vermin camp. Korufylo, Lilyblossom, Egua, and another hare named Majjit all stood dutifully by Varsha's sides as they trooped along.  
  
"Lady, I think that this bally stoat chap ain't pointin' us in the right direction, wot wot wot wot wot?" whispered the irrepressible Koru.  
  
"Koru's right, marm. This stoat feller ain't pointing us in the right direction. Wot if he brings us to that Kabble Ionaeyes rat, or that Deyinvo Doodadhead?" murmured Majjit.  
  
Varsha turned her head to face Majjit, her eyebrows raised. "'Doodadhead'?"  
  
Majjit looked sheepish. "Yes, 'Doodadhead'. It's my new expression, wot."  
  
Varsha raised her eyes to the heavens. "How hares can be perilous beasts and extremely ridiculous at the same time, I'll ne'er know."  
  
"It's easy, marm." Lilyblossom winked. "All ye gotta do is look on the bright side o' everythin', 'n' keep a sword by yer paw, eh wot!"  
  
Varsha shook her great striped head and took out Flamebird. She hurried to catch up with Woinada and hissed in his ear, "If you lead us false, then you'll see the fire of Flamebird."  
  
Woinada looked at Varsha nervously. "D-don't worry, marm, I'll get you to yore captives sure enough."  
  
Varsha put the blade to Woinada's neck. Egua, who had followed Varsha, murmured, "Thassa good verminy chap, eh. Keepin' a promise even though he's a worthless stoat!"  
  
Woinada pointed to a small copse and whispered, "That's where the bunnies are."  
  
"Hares," corrected Lilyblossom.  
  
"Yeah, them. That's where they are. In a cage in the copse." Woinada the stoat looked nervously around and muttered, "If anyone finds out that I showed you to the bunnies then I'm a goner."  
  
Varsha swept up the stoat in her huge paws. "Don't worry, stoat, no one will find out. Your mates, Harrairdus, Sadru, and Grudain, they have all been brought back to Salamandastron. Will you join them?" Varsha strode into the copse as she called in a whisper to Egua, "Bring the stoat back to my mountain. They will pay a price for laying siege to my home!"  
  
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The Abbey Elders and teen-seasoned ones listened to Kaikura's tale of Skipper, Log-a-Log, and Waterfish defeating the adder. As soon as Kaikura finished, Log-a-Log came into the room, soaking wet from rain and looking very depressed.  
  
"What is it, Log-a-Log?" asked one of the Guosim, a shrew named Zalonu.  
  
"Skip's gone on, mates," replied Log-a-Log grievously. "Something stole Martin's sword and then Waterfish went after it."  
  
Fryungle the mouse looked ashamed. "To think that I was cruel to her beforehand at the race." Tears welled up in the mouse's eyes. "I'm so ashamed of myself! I'm such an awful creature!"  
  
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Waterfish fell into the deep loam, gasping for breath. She couldn't find the adder that had stolen Martin's sword. She needed to find it. Even though some Redwallers had been a bit stiff about a nameless ottermaid arriving at their doorstep, and Fryungle had been really harsh, they had let her live there.  
  
"Hellohello!" called a jovial voice. Waterfish glared around, trying to see where the voice came from.  
  
"Who and where are you?" Waterfish cried out.  
  
"Me name's Riley, and Riley's me name!" chuckled the voice. "I'm right behind a birch, and behind a birch I right am! Who are you, and you are who?"  
  
"My name's Waterfish," replied the ottermaid. "Why do you talk so funnily?"  
  
A chortle came from behind the birch. "I don't talk funnily, you talk funnily! Funnily I don't talk, funnily you talk! Hahahahaha!"  
  
Waterfish grabbed a thick bough and peeked behind the birch tree. She saw the one who she had been conversing with, Riley. Riley was an extremely large creature.  
  
"Ooh, how lovely, an otter! An otter, how lovely, ooh!" Riley's large tail wagged happily. He walked on four paws and had a huge head and a big muzzle. He was a light golden color with a blackish nose and soft, brown eyes.  
  
"No offense, Riley, but what type of beast are you?"  
  
"I'm a dog, silly! Silly, a dog am I!" Riley cocked his head, looking intently at Waterfish. "Where are you headed?"  
  
"I'm headed after an adder who stole Martin the Warrior's sword," replied Waterfish.  
  
"An adder, eh? Huh. I saw one passin' by earlier. He had a big, metal stick in his mouth. Is that what yer talking about?" asked Riley, his tail thumping the ground eagerly.  
  
"Yes! Hey – you dropped your repeating words manner. Why?" asked the otter.  
  
"That's only for fun. This is serious!" Riley explained. "Follow me, I'll deliver you to the adder!"  
  
With that, he scampered off, Waterfish in his wake.  
  
() Okay, there's Chapter Seven for you! Please review! () 


	8. Dibbun Helpers

CHAPTER EIGHT, DIBBUN HELPERS  
  
"Oi carn't burrleeve thawt Wa'erfush is gaone. Oi thought thawt she wudd stay," Fawn the molebabe whispered to Kaikura, Odell, Furrlun, Cora, Akio, and Vanig. The seven Dibbuns were all hiding underneath Odell's bed, conversing in low voices. The Abbeybabes were growing up quickly, and at Winter all but Furrlun the mousebabe would be considered Abbeydwellers and real Redwallers, not just the Abbeybabes and Dibbuns. Furrlun would be considered out of Dibbunhood during the Summer.  
  
"Waterfish's gonna cummon back, I know she will," Cora the volemaid argued in a quiet voice.  
  
"Yeah. She went acos the big snakey stole Martin's sword. You guys were all asleep, acos you're Dibbuns, but since I'm three seasons out of Dibbunhood, I was allowed to be up later. Dinnit youse hear?" asked Odell, surprised.  
  
"I knew that 'cause I was there. That a'er was scary!" whispered Kaikura, shuddering at the memory.  
  
"I'm shore it was," Akio assured him, patting him on the head.  
  
"I fink dat we shud go 'n' help Waterfish!" Furrlun piped up.  
  
"I don't wanna go out in there if there's gonna be adders!" cried Vanig in a hushed tone. "Nuh-uh, no way!"  
  
"Don't be afraid," Furrlun told him crossly, but Kaikura came to Vanig's rescue.  
  
"I don' wanna go back out there either," agreed the squirrelbabe. "It's too scary and unfun. I don' wanna be's a Warrior no more!"  
  
"Well, I wanna go help Waterfish. She's my mate," Odell told them in a whisper.  
  
"Oi'll hilp Wa'erfush," volunteered Fawn. "Oi wanna be out thurr in ee wurrld. Et lukks fun!"  
  
"Who's wiff us?" asked Odell, putting his paw in the middle of their small circle. Fawn put her paw over Odell's; then Furrlun, then Akio, then Cora, and finally Vanig. Kaikura looked at his tan-colored paw and then placed it on top of Vanig's.  
  
"During baff time we'll get the food. Then we can go and 'scape!" Furrlun explained.  
  
"Agreed?" asked Odell, looking each Abbeybabe in the eyes.  
  
"Agreed!" they chorused. They scrambled out from underneath the bed and all fell asleep in their own beds.  
  
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Riley suddenly stopped and put out a large paw for Waterfish to stop.  
  
"What is it?" ask Waterfish.  
  
"I smell something...smells like...death," whispered Riley, slowly trotting forward. The ottermaid followed.  
  
As they approached, they saw a rat standing over the adder that had stolen Martin's sword. The rat seemed to be hypnotizing the adder with his bulging, violet eyes.  
  
The adder dropped the sword and the rat picked up the sword and struck down on the adder's neck, once, twice! The adder was dead. The rat snickered and discarded his own dirk. He then picked up Martin the Warrior's sword and put it in his belt.  
  
"Martin's sword in scum's hands, never!" yelled Waterfish. She had no relation to Martin, barely knew the legend of him, but she hated rats and all sorts of evil rodents. She leapt out at the rat. The rat glared at her then wrapped himself up in his cloak, disappearing from view.  
  
Waterfish snatched up the rat's dirk and glared at her reflection in the grimy blade.  
  
"I'll kill that stupid rat!" Waterfish saw a name scratched into the wooden hilt: KABBLE IONAEYES.  
  
"Kabble Ionaeyes?" gasped Riley, who had trotted up. "Ne'er!"  
  
"Who's Kabble?"  
  
"A magician! Kabble's a magic magician! A magic magician Kabble is!" Riley then grinned sheepishly. "Oops, sorry."  
  
But Waterfish paid no attention. She had shoved the dirk into a belt she had made for herself.  
  
"I'll rescue Martin's sword," growled Waterfish.  
  
"Kabble's a magician, otter. No one can stand a chance against Kabble and his ally, Deyinvo the ermine. No one could kill them! And, Kabble once had an army, and I heard that some mad giant beast was his second-in-command."  
  
Waterfish laid her back against a tree. "Ooh, I'm hungry," she groaned.  
  
"I know where to get some food!" Riley yelped, and bounded off to get the food.  
  
"I really do think that dogs are way too overenthusiastic," mumbled the ottermaid to herself, and slowly drifted off to sleep.  
  
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The seven Dibbuns held a haversack filled with cheese, flasks filled with water, bread, and some nuts.  
  
"Dishes oll I culd find," explained Vanig breathlessly. "Sorry."  
  
Odell shoulder the sack and the seven Dibbuns dashed from the kitchens out into the night. Standing on top of each other's heads, they all opened up the gate.  
  
"I don't wanna go," Kaikura began to cry. "I'm gonna be etted up by sum adder."  
  
"Me too," wept Vanig. Cora the volemaid bit her lip.  
  
"It's gonna be scary, but our friends need help!" she cried.  
  
"I'm staying here," insisted Kaikura.  
  
"Me too," Vanig whispered.  
  
"Well, close the door after us," Furrlun told them, and the Dibbuns toddled out into the woods. 


	9. Attack and Battle

CHAPTER NINE, ATTACK AND BATTLE  
  
() Before I begin, let me just say that my Shift Key isn't working so well, so just bear with me if anything isn't capitalized that should be! ()  
  
"We're losted," grumbled Akio the hoglet. "We're losted in Mossflowy Woods! This is all yer fault!" he snapped at Furrlun.  
  
"No 's not. 'S no 'un's fault," Furrlun shot back.  
  
"Let's stop for rest," suggested Cora the volemaid.  
  
"Yeah! Rest 'n' food," agreed Odell. Fawn had been carrying the haversack. She slung it from her back and opened it up.  
  
"Burr, did Vuhnag pack enny wa'er?" asked Fawn as she rummaged through the sack.  
  
"I don't think so," murmured Odell uneasily. He looked around. It was growing quite dark.  
  
"SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"  
  
"WHAT WAS THAT?!" screamed Akio.  
  
"SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-EEEEEECH!!!!!! SCRAAAAAAAAAW! SCREEECH!!"  
  
Fawn pointed a shaking paw to the sky and cried, "Look, et's ee owlyburd!"  
  
"Owls are dangerous! Run!" cried Odell. He grabbed the haversack of food and began stumbling away through Mossflower Woods.  
  
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Waterfish cocked her head to one side.  
  
"Riley, did you hear that? 'Twas an owl bird!" exclaimed the ottermaid. She glanced around and heard a scream.  
  
"Who could that owl be tormenting?" she wondered aloud.  
  
"I don't want to tangle with an owl, missy. Let's hurry up and get away from here. Owls are dangerous," whispered Riley urgently. The dog and otter swiftly made their way through Mossflower Woods.  
  
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The five Dibbuns raced away, blundering blindly through the loam and shrubs. Suddenly, Odell ran slap bang into a large, furry leg.  
  
"AAAAAH!" he yelled as he fell to the ground, hitting his elbow on a sharp tree root.  
  
"What's that?" came a friendly male voice. Suddenly, Odell found a large, wet, black nose in his face.  
  
"Odell!" exclaimed a voice he recognized. "What are you doing here?"  
  
The Dibbuns looked up at Waterfish.  
  
"We came to help you," explained Cora.  
  
"I don't need help. You should be back at Redwall." Waterfish looked at Riley. "How can we assure their safety home?"  
  
"I'm not goin' back to Redwall," cried Odell defiantly. "I'm going to help you!"  
  
Waterfish lowered her eyes. "I suppose you aren't a Dibbun." Waterfish sighed.  
  
"I'll take them back to Redwall." Riley began trotting away, calling, "Come, Dibbuns! I'll lead you home."  
  
Odell and Waterfish began walking along. Waterfish was wondering if she had done right, letting Odell come along.  
  
"LOOK OUT!" screamed the male otter. He ducked and so did Waterfish. An arrow hit the loam right behind Waterfish.  
  
She looked up and saw the rat who had stolen Martin's sword.  
  
"YOU! YOU'RE KABBLE IONAEYES, AREN'T YOU?!" she yelled at her, drawing Kabble's old dirk and waving it about as she hopped angrily from footpaw to footpaw. "I'LL KILL YOU, KABBLE! I'LL KILL YOOOOOOOOU!!!"  
  
Kabble raised a paw and then dropped it.  
  
Two score rats appeared on the hills, all with bows and daggers.  
  
"Ready?" hissed Kabble. There was a shifting of footpaws as a rustling of feathers as arrows were nocked into every bow. "FIRE!" he screamed. Every bow twanged as the shafts headed straight towards Odell and Waterfish.  
  
() VERY VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION THAT MUST BE ANSWERED FOR MY NEXT FIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In "Legend of Luke", what was the name of Luke's wife? Was it Sayna or Sanya? I COMPLETELY forget and I want to do a fic about what Luke did BEFORE "Legend of Luke". () 


	10. Martin's Prediction

CHAPTER TEN, MARTIN'S PREDICTION  
  
() Sorry about the cliffy! I just HAD to! wink ()  
  
THUD! THUD! THUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUD!  
  
Waterfish dove in front of Odell as arrows rained down to slay the two otters. Three arrows struck Waterfish: one in the tail, one in her shoulder, and the other in her leg. An arrow slid past her and struck the top of Odell's ear, ripping off the tip. Odell screamed with pain. He had never been in a battle.  
  
"Stay back, Odell!" Waterfish cried, pushing Odell in front of her as she raced behind a large sycamore. Odell had tears streaming down his fur but then saw that Waterfish was injured with three arrows.  
  
"Lemme help." Odell grabbed the arrow that was in Waterfish's tail and pulled it out. Waterfish yelped in pain as the arrow came out. She sat, rubbing her rudder. She then pulled out the arrow in her leg. She shuddered and winced. Arrows thudded into the sycamore.  
  
"GO!" roared Kabble Ionaeyes' voice. "CAN'T YOU SEE THAT YOU OUTNUMBER THEM TWENTY-TO-ONE?! CHAAAAAAAAAAAAARGE!"  
  
There was a mad scrabbling and yelling, screaming out battle cries and the sound of swords being drawn from scabbards. Waterfish yelled, "Run, Odell, run!"  
  
Waterfish drew her dirk as she and the young otter raced away from the mass of rats. Suddenly, there was a giant screech.  
  
"SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"  
  
Waterfish and Odell looked up into the sky to see a huge Great Horned Owl soaring overhead. The owl swooped down and grabbed a rat in her beak and flung it far away. She began to grab two rats at a time and fly them to the top of a tree.  
  
As the rats watched, horrified, as the owl decreased the number of rats in their army, Waterfish leapt towards the horde, yelling, "Reddddddddddddddwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall!"  
  
She gutted a rat before he had known what was happening. Waterfish then turned to another rat, who half raised his dagger before his head slapped another rat's head. The next rat was ready. Waterfish slew that rat in a minute.  
  
Suddenly, there was a howl. A long, low howl.  
  
"AAAAAAAAAROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!"  
  
"It's a wolf!" shrieked a rat.  
  
The rats all began stumbling away. Wolves were almost impossible to kill.  
  
"I CAN KILL IT! GO, YOU IDIOTS!" screamed Kabble. "GO YOU FOOOOOOOOLS! FIGHT THE OWL! KILL THE OTTERS! YOU CAN DO IT!"  
  
Kabble drew Martin's sword. "Go, or I'll kill you!"  
  
Suddenly, something leapt over everybeast's head. No one except for the two otters recognized the light golden fur.  
  
"Riley!" shouted Waterfish joyously. The dog glared deep into Kabble's eyes with hatred and then turned to the other rats. There were only thirty left out of the forty that had been there.  
  
"WHAT!" screeched Kabble. "YOU'RE GOING TO LET YOURSELVES BE KILLED BY A BIRD, A MUTT AND TWO OTTERS?!"  
  
The rats drew their daggers. Fifteen went to the dog, ten to the owl, and five went to Waterfish. A rat leapt in the air and Waterfish tumbled aside, causing the rat to smash into a tree. He fell down, dazed. Waterfish turned to battle with another rat, but suddenly there was a yell of "REDDDDDDDDDDWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALL!"  
  
Waterfish turned to see Odell armed with a thick bough with leafy branches at the end slapping a rat with the branch. Waterfish leapt in and killed the rat in its confusion. She then turned to another rat and was lunged. The rat blocked with her dagger. Hilt met hilt, grinding along the blades to meet, as the two completely different beasts, one an otter, the other a rat, battled for both their lives and to please their leaders: one's leader was Kabble Ionaeyes; the other's leader was Abbess Leafswirl of Redwall Abbey.  
  
The rat's dagger went spinning out of her paw. Waterfish spat, "Be grateful that I don't kill weaponless beasts," and turned to the next rat.  
  
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"The only truth lies in you,  
  
You who will be with Leafswirl  
  
When she passes on.  
  
If you dare to stray from this Abbey  
  
Then Kabble  
  
And his rabble  
  
Will get you and Redwall!  
  
In Spring of the Six  
  
You will see  
  
The Six shall come home  
  
(With one leading her perilous beasts)  
  
But only five shall see  
  
And the other  
  
Shall See."  
  
Fryungle the mouse gazed at the mouse who was standing in front of him. He was clad in armor and had Martin's sword...but Log-a-Log had told the Redwallers that it had been lost!  
  
Faces swam in front of him, and he could tell them by name: another Martin, Dandin, Mariel, Triss, Tagg/Deyna, Sarobando, Bragoon, Matthias, Mattimeo, Joseph the Bellmaker, Tammo, Song, Luke the Warrior, Bryony. More came that he couldn't remember. They all swirled around his head and made him dizzy. Squirrels, otters, mice like him, hares, all of the creatures that lived in Redwall were in his dream. What did it mean? What did it mean...?  
  
Fryungle woke up, sweating. He climbed out of his bed and down to where the great tapestry of Martin the Warrior was.  
  
"Martin, that was you who was the armored mouse, wasn't it?" Fryungle asked, speaking quietly. "Why are you showing me this?"  
  
Fryungle gazed at the depicted mouse before losing his quick temper and snapping, "What's the use talking to a picture? All I get is a monotonous smile and no reply!"  
  
Fryungle slumped against the wall, thinking. He then stopped thinking and fell asleep.  
  
() That's chapter ten for you! Sorry if it's kind of...mysterious... () 


	11. Run to Redwall

CHAPTER ELEVEN, RUN TO REDWALL  
  
"Fryungle? Fryungle? Are ye okay?" asked a kindly, female voice.  
  
Fryungle opened his eyes. Badgermum Nuria Firemouth was standing over him.  
  
"Oh, I'm okay," Fryungle replied sleepily. "I was talking to Martin. He talked to me last night, y'know."  
  
"What'd he say?" asked Nuria. Fryungle stood up. Nuria and Fryungle took a long walk around the Abbey Pond as the mouse explained what he had seen.  
  
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Varsha glared at the vermin huddled on the floor. She then shifted her attention to an arrow slit. Her left paw strayed to a huge bow as she saw the vermin horde.  
  
"You may have saved your precious hares, but we have you under siege!" called up Deyinvo menacingly. "Go to a window, Lady Varsha! I want to see if you're as strong a badger as Kabble Ionaeyes told me..."  
  
Varsha notched an arrow into the bow and held it to the arrow slit, only the arrowhead showing.  
  
"I WILL NEVER," Varsha roared, "BOW TO THE ORDERS OF VERMIN!"  
  
"You call me 'vermin' again and you die, stripedog!" screamed Deyinvo angrily. "I had your hares and you got them back, but it was only two!"  
  
"We hold the upper paw, ermine," spat back Varsha. "We have five of your rabble!"  
  
Deyinvo glanced around his horde quickly. He remembered that he hadn't seen Sadru the weasel all day. Sadru was a faithful follower that he had considered making a Captain.  
  
"Oh, is that so?" sneered Deyinvo. "Who?"  
  
"We have Woinada the stoat, Harrairdus the rat, Sadru the weasel, and Grudain the ferret. Anyone you know?" called out Varsha mockingly, bringing the vermin to the arrow slit. They miserably peered out at Deyinvo and the rest of the horde.  
  
"You lie," snapped Deyinvo, knowing that he was wrong. He could recognize the vermin, even though they looked like everyday vermin.  
  
Varsha shot an arrow to Deyinvo's right. The shaft struck the tip of his whisker and killed the rat behind him.  
  
"That was a warning shot, ermine. The next one hits your eye. The third? THE THIRD FINDS YOUR HEART!!" screamed Varsha.  
  
Deyinvo glared angrily at Varsha, trembling slightly from near death.  
  
"You don't scare me," he lied.  
  
"Now YOU are the liar," Varsha called down to Deyinvo in a calm tone.  
  
"YOU DARE CALL ME A LIAR...!"  
  
"Yes, in fact I do dare to call you a liar. What will you do about it?" The Badgerlady threw back her head and laughed. "If you leave Salamandastron, I'll give you back your scum."  
  
Deyinvo was now shaking with rage. "You and your hares have called me a multitude of names, which included 'liar', 'scum', and 'vermin'! You will regret this!!!"  
  
Varsha swung her bow, which was loaded with another bolt, and fired. Deyinvo barely ducked in time. The bolt hit the stoat behind him in the stoat's stomach, wounding him and slowly killing him.  
  
"THIS IS WAAAAAAAAAR, VARSHA MIDELLI!" screamed Deyinvo. Varsha put another arrow into her bow and growled, "You stay away from Salamandastron!"  
  
The army turned around and left. Varsha let the arrow fly and it struck the back of the fox on Deyinvo's left.  
  
Deyinvo turned around and roared, "Return fire!"  
  
But all they hit was a mountain. Varsha Midelli had gone from the window.  
  
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"I need some hares to go with me. If they can't get Salamandastron, then they'll go for Redwall," Varsha proclaimed over dinner to her hares. All hares thought about it for a moment, and every paw except for about fifteen paws. Those paws belonged to the elderly and ones that had babes to tend to or were pregnant with little hares.  
  
Varsha nodded. "I'll need some to remain at Salamandastron to protect it. Deyinvo will leave some of his vermin here."  
  
Varsha counted how many hares she had in total: eight score. So that was one hundred sixty hares. If two score wanted to protect Salamandastron, and fifteen hares weren't able to fight, then that meant that she had one hundred and thirty-five to help her to tell Redwall of the upcoming battle, possibly war. Varsha stood up and roared to the cook in the kitchen, "Make us some travelin' food! We're going off to Redwall!"  
  
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Varsha stood with Egua, Koru, Lilyblossom, and Majjit as they exited Salamandastron in the dead of night. Varsha held Firebird tightly in her paws as she and the one hundred and thirty-five hares all marched out of the mountain. They skirted around the huge army and ducked into a large cave.  
  
"Who goes there?" hissed a dangerous voice.  
  
"Joranzo, 'tis me, Varsha!" whispered Varsha.  
  
"Varsh? Varshy-Warshy-Marshy-Darshy-Karshy? I 'aven't seen ya since you was a babe!"  
  
Varsha stiffened. "I'm not Varshy-Warshy-whatever-whatever-whatever anymore. I'm Badgerlady Varsha Midelli of Salamandastron."  
  
The gruff voice stifled a giggle. "Sorry, Milady. Didn't know you was honorable now! So's this means that the ole Badgerlord's gone to Dark Forest?"  
  
"I'm afraid it does, Joranzo. I'm afraid it does." Varsha paused and then murmured, "Light a torch, Jo. It's too dark."  
  
The owner of the gruff voice lit a lantern and held it up. The hares and Varsha could see a full-grown male otter with reddish fur and grey eyes. He held a bow in one paw and a torch in the other. Next to the brawny otter, lying on its side, spilling arrows on the dirt floor, was a quiver.  
  
"Hi, hares," greeted the otter. "I'm Joranzo. I'm the leader of this holt."  
  
"And he does it splendidly," added on Varsha, grinning. Joranzo gave her a light, playful shove.  
  
"Why does my Holt git the honor of seein' you, Varsh?" asked Joranzo, trying to change the subject.  
  
"You know Deyinvo the ermine and Kabble Ionaeyes the rat, do you not?"  
  
Joranzo froze. "Deyinvo and Kabble! The scum! The evil, vile, nasty, murderin' scummy vermin! I know them as well as I know the scars in me rudder, the scars that those beasts gave me!"  
  
"Keep thy voice down, Jo. You'll wake the holt up," whispered Varsha. Joranzo nodded.  
  
"I know 'em well enough, marm."  
  
"They have returned, Joranzo, to take Salamandastron. I suspect that they will try to take Redwall, too. I have come to warn you."  
  
Joranzo looked fiercely into Varsha's eyes. "I'll leave half the Holt here and the rest will go wi' ye, Milady. I'll stay and help Salamandastron!"  
  
Varsha pointed at a hare who had a stiff leg and was becoming too old to battle. "You, bring Joranzo and half of his Holt to Salamandastron in the morn."  
  
"But marm...!" the hare couldn't help but exclaim in indignation.  
  
"You will do it."  
  
The old hare fell silent, nodding. Varsha turned to Joranzo. "If we may spend the night...? We've supped already, so we shall be no trouble, and we have our own food packs."  
  
Joranzo smiled, showing sharp eyeteeth. "No problem at all, Varsh. Make yourself at home."  
  
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The last of the rats ran away from Riley and the great horned owl. The owl landed, hooting softly. She bowed to Waterfish and Odell.  
  
"I am Tiponya Horntalon. Some say that I am worthy of being Redwall's Champion: I differ. I fight to protect innocent ones and to rid the land of the scum that inhabit it." Tiponya smiled. "Who are you?"  
  
"M'name's Waterfish Ottermaid, marm," replied Waterfish.  
  
"'m Odell Kiggum!" chimed in the little otter.  
  
"I am Riley, but am also called Rye."  
  
"Interesting name, Waterfish," murmured Tiponya. "Very interesting."  
  
Waterfish gazed around and then heard a rumble. "What could that be?" she wondered aloud. Riley's ears pricked forward and he gasped, "Quick, deeper into the forest!"  
  
The four friends raced behind some trees.  
  
"What is it, Rye?" asked Tiponya breathlessly. "It's a huge army! A huge army it is!" whispered the dog, shaking. He gave a small whine.  
  
Waterfish looked out at the army and gasped. "Gosh! That army contains the same rats that we just fought!"  
  
Tiponya nodded darkly. "Many a strange thing happens when you fight Sir Kabble Ionaeyes the Magician!"  
  
() Well, there's Chapter Eleven for you. It's really long, but I made you wait for this chapter so I guess I own you some. :-D () 


	12. Vermin at Redwall

CHAPTER TWELVE, VERMIN AT REDWALL  
  
Three days later, Abbess Leafswirl was shaken awake by Nuria Firemouth.  
  
"Mother Abbess," gasped the Badgermum, "there's an army at Redwall's gates!"  
  
Leafswirl leapt out of bed and donned her habit. She quickly shuffled out of the room after Nuria, who was talking rapidly.  
  
"Log-a-Log was talking with the late Skipper's wife, Kella. Kella turned away when Log-a-Log Quiodia mentioned Skip. Kella then spotted the army and saw an ermine and a rat leading an army. So Kella pulled out her sling and Log-a-Log ran off to warn the Abbey. I saw her and immediately ran to tell you."  
  
"Thankee, Nurra," rasped out Leafswirl as they quickened their pace. "'Twas gudd o' ye to warn me 'bout ee baddies comin' to Reddwull!"  
  
Nuria strode through the doors and she and the Abbess climbed to the top of the wall.  
  
"Woo aree 'n' what'd'ee want?" called down Leafswirl.  
  
There were laughs from the army.  
  
"Speaks funny, that 'un," snickered a voice.  
  
"You dare insult Mother Abbess Leafswirl...!" Nuria began to roar down at the vermin, but Leafswirl calmed her down.  
  
"Nay, nay, don't ee pay 'tenshun to ee nasty vurrmints," whispered the mole. Leafswirl's brother, the Foremole, and his crew came up to Leafswirl.  
  
"Ye shudd let summ'un loike Nurra or Kell' or Lug-ee-Lug handill this scummy lawt," whispered Foremole. "Thurr jost gonna make funna ye."  
  
Leafswirl nodded and then looked up at Nuria. "Tawk to ee vurrmints furr me, willee?"  
  
Nuria nodded and then looked down at the army. "What do you want with us?"  
  
"This is now our Abbey!" snarled up the ermine.  
  
"Oh? Why?" Nuria called back down.  
  
There was a pause. Then a rat with bulging eyes that were, startling, violet yelled up, "Because we claim it, stripedog! I am Kabble Ionaeyes, and thou shall feel my wrath!"  
  
A shudder rippled through the whole Abbey. Kabble! Kabble Ionaeyes!  
  
"You tried to take the Abbey before, didn't you, Kabble?" called down Kella. "But you failed!"  
  
Foremole whispered into his sister's ear, "Boi 'okey, Kell's roight! Thawt's the scum thawt troied to take Reddwull be'ore! Do ee amemburr, Leafswurrl?"  
  
"Oi amemburrs alroight!" whispered back the Abbess. "Et's Kabble!"  
  
"I am Lord Deyinvo! What you see is only half of my horde! Sir Kabble has magic to transport me from here to Salamandastron, where we have the Badgerlady and her hares imprisoned in!" yelled the ermine.  
  
Kella clenched her fists in rage as she roared, "LOOK AT WHAT KABBLE USES AS A WEAPON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
All of the Redwallers looked down and gasped.  
  
"MARTIN'S SWORD!" Kella hollered angrily. She pulled her sling from her belt and fitted a rock to her. She trembled with fury and she began to twirl the sling. The rest of the otter crew took out their slings too.  
  
"Dunt naow!" yelled Abbess Leafswirl. "Ittull make surrious woar!"  
  
Kella's eyes brimmed with tears. "Skip used that sword to protect a babe. Now it's in the hand of scum!" Kella twirled her sling faster and faster until the air could be heard singing. "My husband did not die to let Martin's sword be in the hand of vermin!" she yelled hoarsely. She let the rock fly, but Kabble wrapped himself in his cloak and disappeared.  
  
The rocks clattered harmlessly down on the ground. Kella shook her sling at the vermin as they cackled. "They have Martin's sword!"  
  
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Suddenly, a white light flashed in front of Riley, Tiponya, Odell, and Waterfish. Kabble the rat was standing there, laughing.  
  
"Stupid otters," he laughed. "They tried to kill me!"  
  
He then wrapped himself in his cloak and disappeared in a flash of white light.  
  
"What was that?" whispered Odell.  
  
"They must've reached Redwall!" whispered Riley. Waterfish strode forward with Tiponya waddling behind her. Riley and Odell followed the owl and otter.  
  
"Who're you?" cried a voice suddenly. "C'mon, tell us tell us tell us!"  
  
"I'm Waterfish Ottermaid!" yelled Waterfish boldly, surprised that there was a voice.  
  
"My name is Tiponya Horntalon!"  
  
"I'm Riley the dog!"  
  
"My name's Odell Kiggum!"  
  
"Who are you?" Waterfish shouted at the voice. "Show yerself!"  
  
Out from behind a huge tree came a hedgehog around Waterfish's age.  
  
"My name's Fshio Zeespike," replied the hedgehog with a friendly smile. "I just needed to make sure that you weren't those nasty vermin that came by earlier. We hid in our caves."  
  
"Caves? I don't see any caves..." began Odell, but Fshio Zeespike cut him off.  
  
"That's acos we hid 'em, otter!" Fshio motioned to a pile of rocks in the side of a small rock hill. He began pulling them aside and soon revealed a tunnel.  
  
"It's like moles!" laughed Riley. He pawed at the entrance sadly. "But I can't fit in..."  
  
Fshio looked thoughtful for a moment and then patted Riley's leg, which was the only place that he could reach. "It's okay, mate. You can keep guard, and so can Tiponya Horntalon. Two fierce fighters, eh!"  
  
Waterfish and Odell grinned as Tiponya flushed with pleasure. "I'm no big warrior..."  
  
"Nonsense!" exclaimed Fshio. He winked at Tiponya and then motioned for Odell and Waterfish to climb down the hole. "Go down there and say that you're the mates of Fshio Zeespike, son of Chief Orruman."  
  
Waterfish put her footpaws in the hole and began to slip down the hole. Suddenly, she slipped on a rock and fell on her back and began sliding down the tunnel. The tunnel was wet with water that the earth had soaked up. She heard Odell fall and give a yell behind her.  
  
Waterfish tumbled onto level ground and looked up. There was a hedgehog standing above her.  
  
"Who are you!" demanded the hedgehog. "You dare enter the Cavern of Zeespike..."  
  
"We're mates of Fshio Zeespike, son of Chief Orruman!" Odell cried boldly. "So's iffen you wanna differ, then tell Fshio!"  
  
Waterfish noticed that Odell had landed behind her. She stood up and soon realized that she was taller than the hedgehog.  
  
"I'm Waterfish Ottermaid. This is Odell Kiggum. We are chasing after Kabble Ionaeyes, for he has the sacred sword of Martin the Warrior, the sword that was stolen from Redwall Abbey!"  
  
A gasp went throughout the large, cavernous room. Suddenly, there was a thump and Fshio appeared beside Odell. He then went up to the hedgehog that had talked to Waterfish and Odell.  
  
"Da, these are my friends," he explained anxiously. "I met them earlier and they want to fight Kabble and his crew too. There's a wolf-like being outside and an owl. They are my friends, too."  
  
"Riley's a dog," whispered Waterfish.  
  
"Fshio, my son, any signs of rats?" asked the hedgehog who must've been Orruman. Fshio shook his head.  
  
"The rats headed off to Redwall, but Kabble is using his magic tricks to go to somewhere else."  
  
Orruman sighed sadly. "Waterfish, Odell, you may stay the night iffen youse wish."  
  
Waterfish bowed her head politely. "Thankee, sir."  
  
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Kabble Ionaeyes stood in front of his half of the vermin army. He had Martin's sword out in case any of them tried any funny moves.  
  
"We can defeat Salamandastron," Kabble whispered in a menacing voice. "We've defeated many places before."  
  
"Wot 'bout that Riddall place?" called out a ferret who slurred his words. "Long time 'go when we tried t'gerrit we dinnit gerrit. They d'feat'd us 'n' we ran 'way from 'em!"  
  
Kabble growled, "Shuttup, Dunixi, I did not ask for your opinion!" Kabble straightened up. "We lost because we had a traitorous second-in-command. I was quite young then and did not know not to trust stripedogs." Kabble sighed, shaking his head. "The traitorous stripedog is in Salamandastron. We'll camp here tonight and then we shall attack at dawn."  
  
The last phrase was echoed with much cheer around the area. "Attack at dawn!" 


	13. Attack on Redwall

CHAPTER THIRTEEN, ATTACK ON REDWALL  
  
Dawn came. Lord Deyinvo gazed up as the sun streaked the sky pink, a light blue, yellow, and purple. The red, sandstone building reared high above him. Deyinvo the ermine grinned maliciously.  
  
'Today we will attack. Today will be the dying day of many Redwallers.'  
  
Deyinvo began to awaken his army.  
  
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Nuria gazed out at the vermin army. They had settled out of bow or sling range, halfway in the forest. Kella joined her to look at the army.  
  
"They're thinkin' of summat, marm, I can tell," Kella whispered. Log-a-Log, Foremole, and the Abbess joined them.  
  
"Well, then," Leafswirl began, "whoi don't ee tell yon crooew? Tell the Guosim, Lug-ee-Lug, tell yer otters, Kella, 'n' tell yer moles, bruvver!"  
  
All three nodded politely to Abbess Leafswirl and ran off to do her bidding.  
  
"Oi'll awaken ee Abbeydwillers thawt kin foight," Leafswirl sighed. She padded off silently, leaving Nuria Firemouth to her own thoughts, one of which was, 'Waterfish, Odell, wherever you are, please be safe!'  
  
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Cravvu was a sly fox. He had dark orange fur with red eyes that glinted when he had thought up a foolproof plan to kill someone. Right now, his eyes were glinting and he had a happy grin on his face.  
  
"Cravvu," murmured Deyinvo, "what's this foolproof plan you've thought up?"  
  
Cravvu smiled. "It's easy, Milord. So what we do is shoot arrow from one side. When they return fire, we shoot from another place. Then – well, d'you see that rock that juts out of the building a bit?"  
  
"Aye, Cravvu, aye!"  
  
"Well, it looks like Milord or I could climb up to that rock that juts out. More rocks might jut out a bit, or there must be cracks in the side of the Abbey. I could scale it and then drop down and open up the gates!" Cravvu grinned at Deyinvo. "How's THAT for a plan, eh?"  
  
Deyinvo smiled. "I always knew that you were a smart fox, Cravvu. How would you like to be my official battle-planner?"  
  
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An arrow flew up and struck Nuria in the shoulder.  
  
"Return fire!" hollered Kella, whirling her loaded sling. She and the otter crew let the stones fly. The Guosim took short spears and hurled them at where the army of vermin stood, arrows pointing up at the Redwallers. They let the arrows fly and then stumbled back into the woods.  
  
"That was the attack?" Log-a-Log Quiodia wondered aloud. Suddenly, arrows hailed down on them from their right.  
  
"RETURN FIRE!" Nuria shouted.  
  
The Redwallers ran to return fire, but the arrows and rock hit them from another direction.  
  
Log-a-Log cried out in frustration, "For an army that's so big, how come we can't find them?"  
  
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Cravvu spat on his paws and then jumped, grabbing the brick that jutted out. Cravvu pulled himself up until his arms were straight and his head was above the brick. He swiftly let go of the brick with one paw and latched his gleaming black claws in a crack in another brick. Cravvu took his other paw from the jutting out brick and snatched at a crack. He missed and gasped as he dangled there, hanging by his claws that were dug into the side of a tall building. Cravvu took a deep breath and put his other claws into the crack that his other claws were in. He put his footpaws on the jutting out brick, his back curved. The smart fox then put his claws inside of another crack. He pulled himself up straight, clinging onto a crack that was far above him and his footpaws barely touching the jutting out brick. Cravvu latched his right claws into a small crack and then began to climb up more steadily. Finally, his paws touched the flat top of the wall.  
  
Cravvu had gotten into Redwall!  
  
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Deyinvo bellowed, "Quick, to the North side!"  
  
His army stumbled away to fire arrows and sling stones at the Redwallers from the North. The Redwallers were currently facing West, where the vermin had last shot arrows and stones from.  
  
'Where is Cravvu?' wondered Deyinvo as he shot off an arrow.  
  
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Cravvu the fox was on the Abbey grounds. The first thing he did was keep his long dagger in easy reach. He then went to a small side door and opened it. He exited and closed it.  
  
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The ermine warlord put down his bow and sat on the ground, cross-legged.  
  
"We're lost none. Take a break," he called to his followers. The vermin happily agreed.  
  
"Where's that blasted fox?" muttered Deyinvo as he ripped up grass.  
  
"Here, Milord."  
  
Deyinvo leapt up. Cravvu was silently standing behind him. The ermine gave a rueful grin. "So, Cravvu. Did you get into the Abbey?"  
  
"Yes, Lord Deyinvo. I left the door unlocked." Cravvu cracked a grin. "Follow me."  
  
Deyinvo called to his vermin, "C'mon, you lot. We're going into the Abbey."  
  
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Cravvu pushed open the Abbey door and let out a cackle of delight. "Here ye go, Lord, the Abbey!"  
  
Deyinvo drew his long sword and shoved it into the soft, well-kept grass. "I did it! I have gotten into Redwall!"  
  
The Redwallers up on the battlements were taking a short break. Deyinvo jerked his head towards the Abbey doors. The vermin followed their leader as they entered inside of the great Abbey.  
  
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Waterfish woke up. Fshio and Odell were still asleep. Waterfish lay in her bed for a while. She heard rustling and turned to see Fshio getting up. He gave her a quick grin and got out of his bed. Waterfish climbed out of her bed and followed Fshio into the main room of the Cavern of Zeespike. Waterfish noticed that there were already many hedgehogs awake, one of which was Orruman. Orruman stood up and took Waterfish aside without a word.  
  
"My son wants to go adventuring with you."  
  
Waterfish had suspected that a young hedgehog would want to go along.  
  
"But I don't want him to go."  
  
Waterfish nodded understandingly.  
  
"His mother was killed by Kabble Ionaeyes."  
  
Waterfish lowered her eyes.  
  
"A long time ago, his mother, my wife, Nottane, had made a deal with an otter merchant with some other hedgehogs. Then they were captured by vermin. Nottane was slain, along with the otter and this otter's crew."  
  
Waterfish thought angrily, 'Vermin are malicious because they can be.'  
  
"Fshio doesn't understand the horrors that are out there. Even in the safest place there is still danger."  
  
Waterfish looked into Orruman's eyes. She could see that his eyes were filling up with tears.  
  
"Nottane had been mortally injured and was helped back here by her friend, Loynia Stickspike."  
  
Waterfish looked up at Orruman, surprised. "Stickspike?"  
  
"Yes, Stickspike was her surname. Had a little son named Hyas, but Hyas died in a plague."  
  
Waterfish was shocked. "The otter who Nottane worked with didn't happen to be Eyeshine Swordslash, was he?"  
  
Orruman looked surprised. "Yes, I think that's what he was named. Yes, 'twas!"  
  
"Was his wife Honeyflower Swordslash?"  
  
Orruman nodded furiously. "Yes! Yes! Waterfish – how did you know?"  
  
Waterfish blinked away tears. "My true name is Songtamer Swordslash. I am the last remaining Swordslash. My brother was Bowfire Swordslash. Hyas and I ran from our village when the plague hit. Hyas Stickspike died, though. He had always avoided questions about where his mother went once his parents split up. Now I know that she came to here."  
  
"Nottane told me that she thought that Eyeshine was the bravest otter ever," whispered Orruman, putting a comforting paw on Waterfish's shoulder. "I know it's not much comfort to here about your deceased relative, but she told me that Eyeshine had been brave, truthful, honest, kind, and a fierce warrior."  
  
Waterfish took a deep breath to calm herself down. She blinked slowly and then looked into Orruman's eyes. "You better give Fshio permission to come with us, or he'll sneak out to follow us, and that will be worse if he gets injured or dies and he thinks that you don't think that he's good enough to go out fighting."  
  
Orruman nodded. "Thank you, Songtamer Swordslash."  
  
"I am now Waterfish Ottermaid. I will be Waterfish Ottermaid till I reclaim Martin the Warrior's sword for Redwall."  
  
"You are a brave otter, Waterfish. You will get back Martin's sword. I know you will. I can tell it in your eyes. You have the look of determination."  
  
Waterfish smiled. She walked over to where Odell was standing talking with a hedgehog around his age.  
  
'You have the look of determination in your eyes, Waterfish,' thought Orruman. 'It is the look of a Warrior!'  
  
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Varsha heard yelling and shouting. She knew the sounds of war. She beckoned to her hares to follow her. She unsheathed Firebird and heard someone yelling, "REDWAAAAAAAAAAAAALL!"  
  
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"REDWAAAAAAAAAAAAALL!" Kella roared. The vermin inside of Redwall had been discovered!  
  
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Two female voices screamed out the same war cry at the same time, the war cry of hares and badgers: "EEEEEEEUUUUUUUUUUUUULAAAAAAAAAALIIIIIIIAAAAAA!!!"  
  
() Wow. Sorry it's longer than normal. I kept on thinking of ideas, and then I decided that I would make the next chapter shorter so I put in a kind of-sort of-not really cliffy. I'll probably get the next chapter out today or tomorrow. Also, thanks to everyone who reviewed! () 


	14. Fighting with Redwall

CHAPTER FOURTEEN, FIGHTING  
  
Varsha and Nuria heard each other's voices as they screamed their war cry. The hares followed behind Varsha as she sprinted towards Redwall. She barged through the open door and brought Flamebird down on a rat. The hares bounded up and began using striking out with their weapons. Egua was lashing out with her hind paws and punching with her fists.  
  
Nuria grabbed an otter javelin, which was like a small stick in her huge paws, and changed down towards the vermin.  
  
Kella and the otter crew grabbed their javelins and raced after Nuria. Log- a-Log and the Guosim drew their shrew rapiers, shouting the Guosim war cry: "LOGALOGALOGALOGALOGALOGALOGALOGALOGALOGALOOOOOOGG!"  
  
The Redwallers all held out their crude weapons – staffs, some left over otter javelins, a couple of spears, kitchen knives, and pots and pans – and charged at the army, screaming, "REDDDDDDDDDWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALL!"  
  
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Waterfish, Odell, and Fshio climbed up the slippery tunnel that led up to where Riley and Tiponya were resting. Each of them had bulging haversacks full of food on their backs that seemed to want to pull them over backwards.  
  
The three companions got out of the tunnel to meet the dog and the owl.  
  
"Hi," gasped Waterfish, out of breath.  
  
"Is Fshio coming with us?" asked Tiponya.  
  
"Yes, I am," replied Fshio. Tiponya's face broke into a smile, if an owl could smile.  
  
"Good, good. Hedgehogs are always good to have on a mission." Tiponya, riley, Waterfish, Odell, and Fshio set off in the direction that Kabble had gone, not knowing what they would meet.  
  
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Varsha thrust Flamebird at a stoat. The stoat swiftly turned his wrist and parried the attack with his own sword. Varsha disengaged and shoved Flamebird into the stoat's chest, but the stoat had leapt back. Their swords clashed and broke apart as they each tried to survive and slay their opponent.  
  
Egua noticed that Varsha couldn't get out of the battle. The hare sprinted over to the fight and kicked the stoat. The stoat went flying away. Varsha didn't even tell Egua "thank you". She just raced at a rat and sliced her in half.  
  
"Bloodwrath!" whispered Egua, shuddering. She turned away from the mad badger and went to fight another enemy.  
  
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Hours later, the vermin fled out of the Abbey gates. Everyone cheered. Before he left, Deyinvo yelled at Varsha, "This isn't the last you're seeing of me, Varsha Midelli. I know how you helped Kabble!"  
  
Varsha stood, frozen on the spot.  
  
Egua looked straight into Varsha's eyes. "Marm?"  
  
Lilyblossom planted herself in front of Varsha. "Mateo found out. He didn't mean to tell us. He just let it slip. Maybe you should tell us what happened. Why you helped Kabble Ionaeyes."  
  
Varsha nodded, feeling a red flush creeping up her neck to her face. She led the way inside of the Abbey. 


	15. Varsha's Truth

CHAPTER FIFTEEN, VARSHA'S TRUTH  
  
() Aha! The long awaited "Varsha's Truth" chaptero. I'm sorry that it took me so long to put this out and that it's so long. You know, this is the first thing I wrote and it's not even long, but I bet that it's going to be good and long. This chapter makes up for all of the time you spent waiting while I tried to figure out how to be able to type without my Shift Key. It really confuses me. I was writing some of my own original fiction and I thought, 'Bryn,' (for that's my name) 'if you can type "Wolfwood"' (for that's the name of the story I was writing) 'then how come you can't type your Redwall ficcy?' So, here it is! Chapters may be slower coming out than usual, so BE PATIENT! Also, this is a veddy special chaptero, because it comes from not the normal state that I live in, but in Virginia. Yay. gets brill idea LIGHTBULB! BRILL IDEA! Okay, will talk about brill idea in the end, because I think that some of you have skipped this part and have just gotten to the story already. So, the long awaited "Varsha's Truth" chaptero is here for you to read! ()  
  
A/N: Some angst in here. Yeah. Some. Bit of talk of suicide. No suicide committed though. None. Okay, we gotta get this rolling. :-D LET'S GO PEOPLE!  
  
Varsha sat in the infirmary with her hares, the fighting Redwallers, the Abbess, Nuria Firemouth, Kella and the otters, and the half of Joranzo's otters that had come with her.  
  
"You have to understood," choked out Varsha to her hares, "that this was after Nakkreul the stoat had attacked Salamandastron. Everyone was angry at me for befriending the almost newborn rat, Kabble, and casually mentioning where I lived. Kabble's mother heard and told Kabble's father, who told Nakkreul. The Badgerlord was mad at me, Jo's tribe was mad at me (even though at the time it was Bawuk's tribe at the time), the hares were mad at me. I hated myself. I thought that everyone wanted me dead. I knew that I wanted myself dead. I thought that you guys wanted me dead for having my own friends, my own opinions, my own life. I was too afraid to die, so I ran away. I saw Kabble. He had been my mate through it all.  
  
"'Kabble, what's wrong?' I had asked him. He had been weeping like a little babe. I was only two seasons out of Dibbunhood, and he was a season from Dibbunhood, yet he was born to be a vermin-warrior. A murderer.  
  
"'My parents abandoned me acos I was yer mate. They all hate me and want me to die,' he had replied, still crying. I comforted him, telling him that he WAS my mate and that they, meaning his parents and Nakkreul's horde, were wrong. He could have his own opinion.  
  
"I don't know if I was comforting Kabble and trying to tell him not to kill himself...or if I was telling myself. I was FRANTICALLY telling Kabble, 'Matey, there's more for you to live for. Much more. You can prove it to yer mum and da that you can do it. You can do it. You don't need them. Don't die, Kabble. We've seen enough sufferin' and death, haven't we, mate? Let's go and find adventure t'gether. We can find some rats, weasels, stoats, ferrets, foxes, and the like. They'll be our friends. Won't they?'  
  
"I was always saying 'mate' or 'matey' or 'my friend' or 'chum' as I tried to comfort him. I had to put it on thick: he was my matey. That was that. After about half an hour of trying to convince him not to go, he looked me straight in the eyes and whispered, 'Thanks, matey.' That was the first time that he had looked me straight in the eyes. I got lost in them. I saw purple, swirling mists dotted with black. I saw red and blue veins pulsing and exploding all over my vision.  
  
"They say that all but the second-in-command and Kabble hisself was hypnotized to be his friend and to join. That was slightly true. I was his pal naturally, and I hadn't joined him, I had formed the crew. But do you know what thoughts were running through my head as I gazed in those fearful eyes?  
  
"'Redwall. It's a glorious place. There are kitchens, a Great Hall, Cavern Hole, dormitories, and an Infirmity. But, best of all, there is Martin's Sword!' As these thoughts ran through my head, I actually saw them. I saw this room, I saw the Friar cooking up a delicious meal with a young molemaid always stealing frosting from a cake..." Varsha gave a dry chuckle as Leafswirl's mouth twitched. "Aye, Redwall was a perfect place. The thoughts that had gone through my mind were Kabble's thoughts, though. One of my own thoughts was, 'It would be lovely to visit Redwall'. Kabble's thoughts in my brain were, 'Those Redwallers once promised me their sword when I was old enough.' I saw Martin's sword in the paw of a grey-furred paw and from the elbow to the tips of the claws...Kabble's arm! I believed him. He also put this thought into my mind: 'But then the Redwallers betrayed me! They attacked my mother and my father. My mum and dad asked, "Why are you doing this to us?"'" Varsha took a deep, shuddering breath as she looked around at the faces of her friends. She then continued, "Kabble told me, 'The Redwallers replied, "You are rats. We don't like rats." "Why, why?" my parents had cried. The Redwallers told my parents, "Because we are mice. We will kill anything that isn't a mouse." I slightly believed him, you know? Some of my hares were hypnotized into believing that he was a mouse. He hypnotizes you, and you're stuck like that until something happens.  
  
"I know that it was his hypnotizing powers that made me believe that he was right and that Redwall would hate me for being a badger, but I guess it was that I felt betrayed too many times. My heart could never be healed. It was that day that Bloodwrath would be with my always. I learned why vermin were always so mean: they were always given a bad reputation, and were hated. So they give us an excuse to hate them. They destroy things. They murder. So that they can understand why we hate them.  
  
"So that's why I joined with Kabble. So that I could know why everyone hated me: because I was an evil, murdering fiend. I had switched my fate. Like Veil the six-clawed ferret. He had switched his fate. He had become good.  
  
"I became bad.  
  
"I followed Kabble all over the land. At first it was just us, and then we met this ferret, Dunixi. He was kicked out of his old horde acos he was always drinkin'. We became his friends. We helped him get rid of his alcohol problem, but it had done something to his voice. He slurred his words. Which was good...to the vermin side of me.  
  
"I remember we once sent Dunixi into a camp of four shrews that had about six rats imprisoned. Dunixi swaggered into the camp.  
  
"'Kin I 'ave sem fudd, shroos?' he asked. I can still do the imitation of his voice that I used to do when I did a replay of it.  
  
"'D'you think that you kin just wander into our camp and demand food?' a shrew had yelled.  
  
"'I dinnit jost wanner inter yer camp and deman' fudd. I asked for et! I 'ave a 'ooge croo in th' forris, yew better gimme some fudd! 'N' free thum rats!' Dunixi had pointed his cutlass at the shrews. Dunixi told us that a shrew had muttered, 'That ferret's drunk. We can outsmart him.' The shrew then snapped at Dunixi, 'That's the oldest trick in the book, ferret. A huge crew in the forest, eh? Bring 'em out!'  
  
"Kabble had been hypnotizing me into becoming full of Bloodwrath. I gave a roar and me and Kabble charged into the camp." Varsha paused for a deep breath and a sip of water from a glass on a bedside table. "We knocked the shrews unconscious and freed the rats. We raced around the forest, gathering followers and killing goodbeasts. Then, we came upon Redwall. The Abbot, Abbot Jabilo, knew that Kabble was a magician. He knew Kabble's intentions. He was a good otter, Jabilo. He refused to let Kabble hold Martin's sword.  
  
"Kabble waged war on Redwall.  
  
"I helped him. I used a bow and a sling, never coming out into the open. Kabble had told me to stay hidden.  
  
"'Why, matey?' I had asked him.  
  
"'It makes them scared. They think that there are more beasts in the forest.' Kabble had given me a knowing smile. 'That's why I'm the first-in- command and you're the second-in-command.'  
  
"I learned later that I was the second-in-command because I was a goodbeast at heart.  
  
"And Kabble was first-in-command because he was vermin. He was cruel and heartless. But, most of all, because he would murder you as soon as his business was done.  
  
"I learned that quickly. Kabble had a weasel named Trigtu enter Redwall, pretending to be injured. Trigtu was to steal Martin the Warrior's sword. He did so.  
  
"He came back, carryin' Martin's sword. He gave it to Kabble.  
  
"'Thankee, Trigtu,' Kabble had cackled gleefully.  
  
"'Sir,' Trigtu had rasped out, 'them Redwall folk found me stealin' the sword! Get ready for battle, Sir!'  
  
"'Thank you, Trigtu, for getting me the sword. AND FOR GETTIN' THE REDWALLERS ON OUR TAIL!' Kabble had screamed.  
  
"He slew Trigtu with a single thrust.  
  
"We battled. The Redwallers regained Martin's sword, but they retreated. We won. We killed more of them.  
  
"I think that this battle stands out in my mind a lot. That's when I saw YOU, Nuria Firemouth.  
  
"'She's a badger,' I had whispered to myself. 'I'm a badger!! Kabble lied to me. He hypnotized me.'  
  
"That night, I snuck into Redwall. Do you remember that, Nuria? You asked, 'Who's there?'"  
  
Nuria nodded slowly. "Aye, I remember. You called back, 'Badger, I have something to tell you.'"  
  
"And then you shouted back, 'How can I trust you?'"  
  
"Well, I thought that you were a rat or something. You were in shadows near the bushes next to the Abbey Pond!"  
  
"Aye, true, true." Varsha nodded, giving a small chortle. "Then I whispered back, 'By this: Euulaaaaliiiaaaa!'  
  
"Nuria then came over and crouched beside me. 'Who are you?' she asked me.  
  
"'My name is Varsha Midelli,' I replied.  
  
"'That's the name of one of Kabble's lot. The second-in-command!' Nuria stood up and snarled, 'You're a badger, though!'  
  
"'Please,' I begged, 'listen to me. Kabble is not just the full name of that vile rat. It is Kabble Ionaeyes the Magician!'  
  
"I then told Nuria all about Kabble and his magic-making, his hypnotizing, everything. I told her about Nakkreul, about the Badgerlord, what the next plan was, EVERYTHING.  
  
"'Promise to tell no one about this, Nuria Firemouth. Promise me.' Nuria promised.  
  
"'But, Midelli, we'll need to tell the Redwallers SOMETHING,' Nuria exclaimed.  
  
"'Tell them whatever you want, Firemouth. I'm off.' Nuria's eyes widened in surprise when I told her this. 'Off? off where?' she asked. I shrugged. 'Somewhere. Back to Salamandastron, most likely. I have to leave. Good bye, Firemouth.'  
  
"Nuria nodded, sighing. 'Good bye, Midelli. Our paths may cross again.'  
  
"I ran that night. I took two packs of food and Kabble's sword, which is now my Flamebird." Varsha gestured to her weapon. "I raced back to Salamandastron. It took me a while. I battled crabs, frogs, toads, evil vermin. When I finally got there, the Badgerlord asked me where I was that whole time. He was angry and worried. So was everybody. But...they were mainly WORRIED about me. They didn't all want me dead.  
  
"The war had been three seasons, but it had been five seasons since I had left Salamandastron. I told the Badgerlord that I had been wandering the land trying to get rid of evils and helping Redwall to train for helping back at Salamandastron. The Badgerlord looked skeptical, but he bought it.  
  
"On his deathbed, I told him the truth. I told him that I was sorry that I hadn't told him the truth. He was angry at me for not telling the truth. He told me, 'If Salamandastron has a ruler who lies, then how can they trust her?'  
  
"That made me think. I was a liar. I had betrayed everyone's trust. I felt AWFUL about it. Only one goodbeast had known the truth, the Badgerlord had, but he was dead.  
  
"Now I had only myself to live with the secret that has haunted me all these years. And now...you know it."  
  
() End of chaptero fifteen! Yessssss! Okay, have limited time before laptop dies so listen to my brill idea.  
  
BRILL IDEA: I write a first chapter of a Redwall fic. Then, I post it. Then, someone email me with the second chapter. I post that. Then, people send me chapters to go with the story. One of those continue-on stories! If you don't get it, email me at brynkeanefarrell.com. Also, does anyone know ff.net's email address? I want to email them and tell them to have another category! () 


	16. Battle with Toads

CHAPTER SIXTEEN, BATTLE WITH TOADS  
  
Fshio placed a gentle paw over Waterfish's mouth and shook her awake.  
  
"Ottermaid, I think that you should see this," he whispered. Waterfish stood up, drawing her dirk. Fshio took a dagger that had been given to him by Orruman from his belt. Fshio jerked his head towards a deeper and thicker part of the woods, where they had to go through to get to Salamandastron, where they were going because they knew that Kabble was there. The hedgehog and otter slowly crept forward. Fshio pointed his dagger behind a large birch.  
  
"Look behind there," he murmured in her ear, "but be cautious!"  
  
Waterfish nodded and sidled up against the birch. She slowly turned her head to see what was behind the tree. She smothered a gasp in her throat.  
  
Toads!  
  
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Varsha blundered through Mossflower Woods, tears streaming down her face. For the second time in her life, she had run from Redwall to escape the truth of her past. Little did she know that Egua, Lilyblossom, Majjit, and Koru were sprinting after her, not wanting their Badgerlady to do something foolish and get herself killed.  
  
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Fryungle closed his eyes and drew his cloak closer around himself. He was sitting by the bushes by the Abbey Pond. The Autumn of the Rosy Dawn was almost halfway through. The days seemed to be flying by.  
  
'And I still haven't figure out what Martin was trying to tell me!' he thought, angry with himself. 'Okay, Fryungle, be calm. Don't be angry with yourself. It will unfold when it unfolds.'  
  
Fryungle stood up. He gripped his paws together and whispered a small vow to himself: "I vow to have a better temper." Fryungle nodded to himself smilingly. "Yes, that's much better, Fryungle m'lad."  
  
The young mouse smiled as he strode back to the Abbey. 'I will make a diary. If I get in a fight, I will write down the problem and try to resolve it. This will be a much better lifestyle then just blowing up at any goodbeast that gets me angry.' With this happy thought in his mind, Fryungle pushed open the Abbey doors and headed into Cavern Hole for lunch.  
  
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Waterfish gaped at the multitude of three-pronged trident-wielding toads. The largest one had a four-pronged trident with a toad rubbing a cloth onto the end. Waterfish had a nasty suspicion that the stuff on the cloth was poison.  
  
Fshio whispered, "C'mon Waterfish" and began trotting back to the camp were Riley, Tiponya, and Odell were still snoozing.  
  
Fshio stopped. He had not heard the sound of paws pattering after him. "Waterfish?"  
  
Fshio heard a muffled scream. He turned around to see Waterfish being mobbed by toads.  
  
"WATERFISH!" Fshio roared, drawing his dagger. His yell woke up Odell, Riley, and Tiponya.  
  
The hedgehog ran at a toad and hit him on the head with his dagger hilt. He elbowed the amphibian out of his way as he tried to get Waterfish free of the toads.  
  
"Gerroff of her, you mud-suckin', bilge-eating, scum-nosed blaggards!" shouted Fshio Zeespike.  
  
At that moment, Odell, Tiponya, and Riley appeared next to Fshio, Odell wielding a large branch he had found on the ground. As he struck a toad's skull, Odell and Waterfish roared out one word: "REDDDDDDDDDWAAAAAAAAALL!"  
  
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Deyinvo crouched down beside Cravvu, who was sucking on a bone from a bird next to the campfire.  
  
"Listen, mate," whispered Deyinvo the ermine. "I'm going to go to Salamandastron to take that sword that ole Kabble has. I'm leaving you in charge. I'll make the announcement in the morning."  
  
Cravvu broke open the bone to extract the marrow. "Yer a good Lord. You've got a good eye."  
  
Deyinvo nodded, and then grabbed Cravvu by the front of his tunic. "If you lose to the peace lovers and survive, I will seek you out and destroy you!"  
  
Deyinvo swaggered off to his tent to get some bed as Cravvu shook with fear.  
  
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Varsha fell to her knees, still sobbing, but sobbing for breath, not because of her complicated life. She was all out of tears, like a wet rag being wrung out of water.  
  
"Cry yer heart out, marm. I saw ye crying enough when youse was a babe, wot wot!"  
  
Varsha leapt up with a roar, drawing Flamebird. She saw Egua standing in front of her, her paws spread out wide and her head slightly lowered.  
  
"Why are you here, Egua?" whispered Varsha, wiping tears from her eyes.  
  
"I'm not alone, marm."  
  
"Joy. Is the whole of Redwall on the tail of a traitor?" Varsha Midelli asked sarcastically.  
  
"No. Only Majjit, Koru, and Lily." Egua folded her arms across her chest and looked into Varsha's eyes, which were filling up with tears. "Marm, don't leave us."  
  
"We don't want you to go away acos of that rotter, Kabble Doodadhead," exclaimed the voice of Majjit. He stepped out from behind an elm tree and stood next to Egua. Koru bounded out from behind a pine tree and stood next to Majjit.  
  
"Marm, 'tain't right t'lose a Badgerlady when she's only been reignin' 'bou' four or five seasons, wot wot wot wot wot!" cried Koru. Lilyblossom came out from behind a maple. She stood in front of the three older hares. Lilyblossom was the youngest Salamandastron fighting hare, just barely the age required to be a fighting hare. Her cobalt blue eyes were filled with tears. She was pure white with no splotches of any other color on her, except for her footpaws, which were totally tannish-grey. She was the age were male hares were beginning to look at her in a different and new light.  
  
"Marm..." she whispered, tears spilling from her eyes, "I know that we're just ole hares, protectin' our bally Badgerlord or Badgerlady, and that we're friends with the chap or chappess leadin' us, wot. But, Milady, the reason that we don't want you to go is that, really, marm, we love you. We love you like our own mum or sis. You've 'elped us and given us a place to live. Then, when ole Kabby Eyes, or whatever he wants to call hisself, comes and attacks us, you defend us, Varsha! You DEFEND us. You're brave, Badgerlady Varsha Midelli of Salamandastron. You're brave."  
  
Varsha looked down at her big paws. "How can I be brave when I'm running away from my truth?"  
  
Lilyblossom looked Varsha square in the eyes. "Bein' brave isn't never running away, marm. Bein' brave is feelin' afraid and ignoring that, knowing that others will suffer the same orful fate as you iffen you don't help 'em. That's what yer doing, marm! That's what yer doing!"  
  
Varsha covered her face with her huge paws. "But I helped Kabble. I'm not that brave."  
  
"Y'were young. You was foolish. Varsh ole lass, you 'elped Kabble acos he asked for it and he tole you lies. You knew nothin' about Redwall, so you helped Kabble acos he said that he was in need. You're a brave, kindly soul, Milady. When you look outside, all you see is a Bloodwrathed badger carrying a sword, a badger who's just a teen." Egua paused in the speech she was making. "But, iffen you look inside, you see a wise ole badger who just wishes to be understood."  
  
Koru stepped forward. "We love you with all of our hearts, marm. Don't run away from us."  
  
Varsha was about to reply when a loud roar ripped through the air.  
  
"REDDDDDDDDDWAAAAAAAAALL!"  
  
() I have two "sorries". The first is, sorry for having a small cliffy. Second sorry is: sorry about making a different chapter sixteen. I was changing the poem that Fryungle heard in his dream and I was replacing the chapter. Instead of saying "replace a chapter", I did "add a chapter". So that you don't have to go back and reread the whole chapter to find the poem, I'll put it here (aren't I so nice?):  
  
"The only truth lies in you,  
  
You who will be with Leafswirl  
  
When she passes on.  
  
If you dare to stray from this Abbey  
  
Then Kabble  
  
And his rabble  
  
Will get you and Redwall!  
  
In Spring of the Six  
  
You will see  
  
The Six shall come home  
  
(With one leading her perilous beasts)  
  
But only five shall see  
  
And the other  
  
Shall See."  
  
I changed it from "In the Spring you will see" to "In the Spring of the Six/You will see". I just felt like being a tad more mysterious!  
  
Also, in your review for this, say either "s" or "k". Write down, "I vote for s/k for the next fic". My next fic will be called "An Unlikely Hero", but this will be after the continue-on fic. Please tell me if the continue- on fic is a good idea!!! ()  
  
)( Okay, I just want to clear some things up that I know have been confusing me in my writings: Varsha's sword is named FLAMEbird, not FIREbird. Also, Log-a-Log Quiodia is a female. Yeah. A girl. I know that I've been saying "he", but definitely a "she". And "Firebird" is the name of the place that publishes "Redwall" books or something like that. 'Firebird Fantasy". So. Glad I cleared up that stuff! Now that I've written it down, I'll remember it. Heeheehee! )( 


	17. Family Troubles

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN, FAMILY TROUBLES  
  
() Um...I've never put a disclaimer up, have I? Well, here it goes: Redwall belongs to Brian Jacques. Not me. If it belonged to me, I would have my name on the books, not Brian Jacques books. Makes sense, no? ()  
  
Deyinvo stood next to the Magician. The rat muttered some spell under his breath. Kabble threw the cloak he wore around Deyinvo's shoulders.  
  
"It's good of you to come here to transport me back to Salamandastron."  
  
"I would not disobey my Lord."  
  
"Then you will give me that sword that belongs to the Redwallers."  
  
"Lord, you have that good sword."  
  
Deyinvo backhanded Kabble, sending him flying. "You blundering fool! Use your senses! Sometimes I wonder if your magic is in place of your smarts!"  
  
Kabble stood up. "Why is that?"  
  
Deyinvo rapped none too gently on Kabble's skull with a clenched fist. "YOU HAVE MAGIC TO KILL THESE REDWALLERS WITH! I NEED THIS SWORD!" Deyinvo calmed down. "They say that the sword was made from the metal of a star. I would pay for it with your magic and with all of the weapons in the horde. Or I could get it freely. OR..." Deyinvo paused to give the next option tension, "I could just pay for it with your life. Your decision, Kabble Ionaeyes. Your life...or freely."  
  
Kabble shoved the sword into Deyinvo's paws. The ermine smiled. "That's a good lad. Now, transport us out of here."  
  
Still shaking, Kabble threw the cloak around Deyinvo and performed his magic.  
  
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Mateo and Quidjill Dearhare were in charge of the Dhoss, or Defending Hares of Salamandastron's Strongbeasts for short. The brother and sister seemed to have forgotten being captured by the "bally stinkers" and were busy training hares, fighting, and wondering what to do with the captured vermin.  
  
"Why don't we just kill the rotters, wot?" Mateo asked, prodding Woinada with a spear butt. The stoat let out a wail.  
  
The two hares and the five vermin were all in the room that Varsha had been in when she had showed the captured vermin to Deyinvo and to Kabble.  
  
"No, no, Mateo, that's murder!" cried Quidjill.  
  
"May be murder, Jill, but they would've killed us iffen we hadn't escaped, y'do know that."  
  
Quidjill glared coldly at Mateo. "Murder is the way of vermin."  
  
Mateo prodded Sadru the weasel next. "Oh? What about those vermin we slew in battle? Was that murder?"  
  
"Murder is the slaying of innocent and helpless beasts!" Quidjill cried.  
  
"I see nothing innocent about this scum," Mateo spat, rubbing the spearhead against Grudain the ferret's ear. He whimpered in pain.  
  
Quidjill glared at the spear. "Yore no Dearhare anymore, Mateo. Get another surname. I refuse to be a brother of yers!"  
  
Quidjill turned on her heel and marched out of the room. Mateo just stood there, frozen as he was about to use the spear to tear apart Harrairdus the rat's already torn and ragged tunic.  
  
'What's goin' on in Salamandastron?' thought Mateo, dismayed. 'Jill's mad at me, I'm becoming as ruthless as a rat, and Varsha's gone.' Mateo stalked out of the room, still shaking his head.  
  
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Joranzo the otter stood twirling a loaded sling. He and his otters were on the beach, doing a bit of daily sniping. Every day, at random times and from different spots, the otters would sling stones at the vermin horde. One volley, and then they would race off.  
  
An arrow landed in front of Joranzo. A voice whispered in his ear, "Thought ye could use some lethal weapons, eh wot."  
  
Joranzo turned to see Mateo holding a bow in one paw and a quiver of arrows slung across his back.  
  
"Wot're y'doing here, Mateo Dearhare?" hissed Joranzo. "Y'could be captured 'n' killed!"  
  
"Bally vermin won't git me, wot wot!" Mateo seemed to be using a good mood to cover up something.  
  
Joranzo's otters were staring at him. "Fire at 'em," he called to them. He then grabbed Mateo's paw and pulled the hare away from the otter group.  
  
"Wotcha doing?" asked Mateo.  
  
"Something is wrong, I know it is."  
  
Mateo lowered his eyes. "D'you have any siblings?"  
  
Joranzo nodded. "Aye. A brother and two sisters. My brother and a sister are at Redwall, though. Redrudder is my brother and Moonflash is my sister. My sister that's here is called Ikkala. Moonflash and Ikkala are twins, younger'n me. Redrudder's younger'n me. I'm the oldest. Then it's Ikkala and Moonflash. Then Redrudder. Right there's Ikkala, see?" Joranzo pointed at an otter with black fur who was twirling a sling. The otter let the rock fly.  
  
"Haha, got a rat!" cried the otter.  
  
Joranzo looked into Mateo's face. "Why?"  
  
"D'you...ever get in fights wi' 'em?" asked Mateo, avoiding Joranzo's question.  
  
Joranzo nodded. "Aye. But not physical fights. I was tellin' Moonflash that she was too young t'go off t'Redwall an' that she was the peaceful sister, she shouldn't ruin her prettiness, she 'ad never seen war. She shouted, 'I'm only three seasons younger'n you, Jo, and you're letting Ikkala fight! We're twins!' I tole her that Ikkala was a fightin' otter." Joranzo shook his head. "Arr...then she stormed off t'Redwall wi' Ikkala. I wish that we 'adn't gotten inter a fight b'fore she left."  
  
Mateo nodded slowly.  
  
"Why?" asked Joranzo. "Why do you wanna know?"  
  
Mateo looked Joranzo in the eyes. "Me 'n' Jill got in a fight. I wanted t'kill the vermin we 'ad captured, but she says that it's murder. I tole her that the vermin would've done it to us. Jill says that it's the way of vermin and that I wasn't a Dearhare anymore."  
  
Joranzo shook his head. "Family troubles, mate. Family troubles. They can be worse'n war."  
  
() Hi. I was typing this and realized that it's three pages on Microsoft Word and that I haven't gotten back to the toad battle! Eek! I'll get to it next chapter, I swear, and then I'll tell you the results for the "s/k" voting, if I get any results. sob Okay, so thanks reviewers! Thanks everybody! Oh, and tell me if the continue-on story is a good idea. () 


	18. Captured by Toads

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN, CAPTURED BY TOADS  
  
() Okay. My email is not working so I won't be able to tell the results of the "s/k" voting. But, as soon as it works, I will either post a chapter announcing the results and telling you what it is, or I will include it in a chaptero. The former is more likely than the latter, because these chapters have been getting PRETTY long lately. In a review, tell me if I should shorten these chapters. I know it is annoying to have to read super long chapters. So, since some of you are getting REALLY impatient, I'll stop this and get on with the story! ()  
  
Varsha lifted her head from her paws. "What was that yell?"  
  
The roar wrenched through the air again: "REDDDWAAAAAAAALL!"  
  
"It's the Abbey's jolly ole war cry, wot!" exclaimed Majjit. He drew his sabre and waved it in the air. "Are we gonna stand 'round 'ere chattin' or will we help those in need!"  
  
Varsha drew Flamebird. "The battle may be a while off. I could barely hear the yell. I only know that it was a male voice yelling something. I'm not even sure if you're saying that the word it was 'Redwall'."  
  
Lilyblossom, Egua, and Koru all drew their weapons: an epee, a machete, and a sword. "You foller us, marm!" Egua told Varsha as she gripped her machete tightly. Majjit held his sabre in his left paw as he beckoned with his right paw for the other four to follow him. He cocked an ear to the West and nodded. "Thatta way, marm, wot!"  
  
The four hares bounded off at top speed, with Varsha following behind as fast as she could. The badger's fastest speed could not match the speed of the slow trot of one of the hares. Varsha was fast for a badger her size, yet she was running slower than the hares as she crashed and bumbled after them, stumbling over tree roots and loam as the hares easily jumped over them.  
  
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"Gerroff of Waterfish!" hollered Odell as he slapped away a toad with the large branch he was using for a weapon. Tiponya ripped away the toads with her beak and talons, but the toads were too many. The toad who looked to be the leader gave a croak. Toads croaked back and leapt at Tiponya's claws talons carrying mesh nets. Before anybeast could cry out a warning, the toads had wrapped up Tiponya's talons. As the Great Horned Owl spread her wings to fly away, she tripped and toads were immediately upon her, tying up her wings and her beak.  
  
"TIPONYA! NO!" roared Riley. He bounded over to the toads. "NO! TIPONYA! OFF OF HER, YOU STUPID SLIMELY AMPHIBIANS! YOU STUPID SLIMELY AMPHIBIANS, OFF OF HER!"  
  
"Help," cried Tiponya. "Riley, Odell, Waterfish, Fshio! Help me!"  
  
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Waterfish heard muffled screams and yells in another world. She was slowly fading out of consciousness under the huge pile of toads suffocating her. She was still hacking and slashing with her dirk, but she could barely breathe and her grip was getting weaker.  
  
"Odell," she whispered. She saw a toad face loom in front of her, and then the world went BLACK.  
  
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The toads crawled off of Waterfish's unconscious form. Fshio, Riley, and Tiponya were bound with nets and Odell was still struggling, but the tridents had given him many wounds and his tree branch was ripped to shreds. Odell backed up against a redwood and gave a gasping breath. His eyelids flickered. The last thing he saw before he blacked out was Waterfish's bleeding body, the dirk still clutched in her paws.  
  
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"I swear that this's the spot, marm, I swear it!" panted Majjit, pointing his sabre wildly around. Lilyblossom crouched down and pawed at the ground, sniffing keenly.  
  
"You're right, Majjit, wot. Look!" Lilyblossom held up a paw. The pure white fur was stained with red blood.  
  
"How fresh d'you think the bally blood is?" asked Egua, coming over to squat next to Lilyblossom. Koru knelt on the ground and sniffed the blood.  
  
"Hunh. This blood's about twenty minutes ole, wot wot wot wot wot wot wot! That's when the battle ended, I suppose." Korufylo Speechyard sniffed the air and trotted over to a redwood. "Why, lookit this ole tree! It's covered in blood, but different blood, not from the same beast, eh wot wot wot."  
  
Lilyblossom leapt up, pointing at a thick, dark, blood red trail that led into the woods with her epee.  
  
"Blood!" whispered Majjit. "Let's foller the bally trail."  
  
Varsha nodded and the five quietly yet swiftly crept after the blood trail, wondering where it led.  
  
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Cravvu flicked his tail. The crafty fox was trying to think up an idea for an attack, but the last plan had failed, so what's to say that his next plan would succeed?  
  
"Hoi, Cravvu, what's the next plan?" called a jeering voice. A fishbone hit the side of Cravvu's head. Cravvu whirled around to see a stoat named Galea laughing especially hard as she held a fish in her paws.  
  
"I suppose yew have a plan, d'you, Galea?" snarled Cravvu. Galea stood up, holding the fish in her paws.  
  
"I suppose I do, Cravvu." Galea smirked back at the wily fox.  
  
"Oh? And what is it?" asked the fox, feeling embarrassed that Galea, who had always been in the lower ranks, had a plan.  
  
Galea beckoned Cravvu over. "Lissen closely, fox. Take the fishbone from yer lug."  
  
Cravvu grew red as the horde laughed as he felt a fishbone in ear. He ripped it out.  
  
"Now, 'm only gonna say it once, so lissen up!" Galea glanced around to make sure that the Redwallers weren't listening. "Okay, here it is..."  
  
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Varsha froze when she saw where the blood trail led. Many who had tried to come to Salamandastron had met up with this fate.  
  
Toads!  
  
Varsha knew that these toads had a pit called the Screamhole. He sometimes contained an eel. This time, it contained two eels.  
  
Two electric eels.  
  
() But we all bleed the same way as you do/But we all have the same things to go throughHoolldd on, if you feel like lettin' go/Hoolldd on, it gets better than you know...()  
  
)( Oh, whoops, sorry, this song was playing and I was listenin' to music as I typed. Or would it be I was listenin' to music as I typed and this song was playing? Oh well. Anyways, that's the chapter for now.  
  
Y'know, it's strange, but...when I put out "Varsha's Truth", I thought, 'Okay, I'll probably have twenty chapteros for this storyo.' But, then, I realized...um, no, I realized nothing, actually, 'cepting that this is NOT gonna be twenty chapters and that I like writing a lot. Oh, and that I'm stuck in a car and that I've got a whole lot of time ahead of me so I'll write these chapters.  
  
I'm not writing these chapters for you guys. I'm writing 'em for myself.  
  
Okay, so I'm writing them for you guys...  
  
But I'm still writin' 'em for me, toooooooooooooooooooooooo!  
  
Will start Chapter Nineteen now. Okay? Okay. )( 


	19. The Screamhole

CHAPTER NINETEEN, THE SCREAMHOLE  
  
() Does anyone know what "Redwall" book has the Noonvale Players or something like that in it? I think that it may be "Marlfox", but I'm not sure... ()  
  
Odell came to. He looked around the huge, earthy pit that he was in and saw Fshio curled up in a ball and Waterfish lying on the ground. He looked up. Dawn was streaking the sky. Odell looked around the circular pit again. There was a huge, gaping hole in the side.  
  
"Hello? Anyone in here?" called out the young otter feebly.  
  
"I'm here," came a hissing voice.  
  
"Yessss...and sssso am I!" added another hissing voice.  
  
"Who are you?" asked Odell, feeling frightened. He scrambled to his footpaws and ran next to where Fshio was.  
  
"I'm Firesssspark," came the first voice.  
  
"And I am called Lightningflash," replied the second voice.  
  
"Where is this? Why are we here?" asked Odell, panicking. The voices sounded evil. "And what are you?"  
  
"This is the Sssscreamhole. Lightningflash and I were put in here to eat the toadssss prissssonerssss."  
  
"You are the toadssss prissssonerssss. They want ussss to eat you!"  
  
"We are electric eelssss," replied the voice of Firespark. Two eel heads poked out of the gaping hole. They were FRIGHTENING.  
  
"The ssssad thing, though, issss that we do not like meat. We are vegetarians. We only eat meat if we musssst."  
  
"Then why do you eat meat if you're vegetarians?"  
  
Odell looked over at Fshio, who had just regained consciousness and had just asked the question.  
  
"We would sssstarve if we did not," answered Lightningflash.  
  
Fshio and Odell were quiet for a moment. Then the young hedgehog asked, "D'you know where Riley and Tiponya are?"  
  
"The dog and the owl?" asked Firespark.  
  
"Yes, them! Have ye seen them?" asked Fshio eagerly.  
  
"Yessss, sssspikepig, we have seen the dog and the owl," replied Lightningflash.  
  
"Where? Is anythin' wrong with 'em?"  
  
Firespark shook his head. "Not yet, sssspikepig. They are being usssed as transsssportation." Firespark nodded towards Waterfish. "What issss wrong with the ponddog?"  
  
"Her name is Waterfish! Mine's Odell and this's Fshio. Don't call her ponddog!" yelled Odell. He had no idea what had made his temper snap like that.  
  
To his surprise, Firespark and Lightningflash chuckled.  
  
"You're a protective one, otter. Brave, too. I admire that." Lightningflash gave something that resembled a grin.  
  
"What'ssss wrong with her?" asked Firespark.  
  
"I don't know," replied Odell. As soon as the words dropped from his mouth, there was a huge, roaring yell.  
  
"EEEEEEEUUUUUUULAAAAAAAALIIIIIIIAAAAAAAA! Give 'em blooooooooood aaaaaand viiineeeegaaaaaar!"  
  
Help had arrived!  
  
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Varsha sliced down a toad as she screamed the war cry of badgers and hares. Her four hares were everywhere at once, chopping with epee, sabre, machete, and sword. Sometimes Egua would kick a toad, punch a toad, and gut a toad at the same time. Egua may have been the oldest hare there, and in two seasons would have to retire, but she was an incredible fighter.  
  
Varsha cut down a toad and then heard a yell.  
  
"Varsh, help me, marm!"  
  
Varsha whirled around to see the leader toad having Koru pinned down with his trident and with Koru's sabre.  
  
"NO!!!!!!!!" screamed Varsha in a panicked voice. She charged at the leader toad.  
  
The sabre descended down on Korufylo Speechyard.  
  
() Haha, cliffy-ish. Or is it big cliffy? Tell me. Oh, I know what you're thinking, 'Why do I have to wait for the next chapter? It's obvious that the authoress won't let Korufylo die.' Or will I...? That's what I'll decide. () 


	20. Loved Ones Don't Live Forever

CHAPTER TWENTY, LOVED ONES DON'T LIVE FOREVER  
  
"Mateo?" called Quidjill's voice. Mateo was eating luncheon in the dining hall.  
  
"What?" snapped Mateo angrily.  
  
"I was wondering where you were. I lost my temper before, Mateo. You had right to feel angry at the vermin..."  
  
Mateo looked into his sister's face. "So do you, Jill. You don't know who they are, do you?"  
  
"Yes, I do. They're Harrairdus the rat, Woinada the stoat, Sadru the weasel, and Grudain the ferret."  
  
Mateo stood up. "But you don't know what they did to us."  
  
"They captured us, Mateo. They held us in a cage."  
  
Mateo took Quidjill's paw and led her out of the room, into his room. Mateo sat Quidjill down on his bed.  
  
The hare began pacing the room. "Seasons ago, when Mum was pregnant with you, Dad met a weasel. The weasel was Grudain. Grudain and his mates pretended to be weary travelers who needed food. Dad let them have food. That night, they killed 'im. Mum and I ran. We ran away from our home. Mum tole me that we was going to Salamandastron. On the way there, she gave birth to you. It took us arf a bally season to get to Salamandastron. When we arrived there, we saw Grudain and his mates. They killed Mum and tried to kill us. I ran inside of the mountain, carrying you."  
  
Mateo grabbed Quidjill's left footpaw. He pointed to the long scar that went from her footpaw to her calf.  
  
"Harrairdus gave that to you!" Mateo dropped Quidjill's footpaw and pointed to a hidden scar that went along his right cheek, from the tip of his temple to the corner of his mouth. "And Sadru gave this to me. It was Woinada who slew Mum and Grudain who slew Dad. That's why I got so angry about you saying that we shouldn't kill them. THEY KILLED MUM AND DAD!"  
  
Mateo crumpled on the floor, weeping. "Murderers. Bally murderers."  
  
Quidjill clenched her paws into fists. "I'll challenge Harrairdus to combat. You challenge Sadru. Then we can kill Woinada and Grudain together."  
  
Quidjill and Mateo exited the room to go to the weaponry room.  
  
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There was a pounding on the gates of Redwall. The gatekeeper, Hakan Furlgate, looked up at Kella, who was looking down at who was before the gates.  
  
"Who are you?" called down Kella.  
  
"I'm called Galea Tailflick," called up a mouse. She was a scrawny mouse in tattered rags. "Hurry, please open the gates! There's a fox and his horde on my tail!"  
  
Kella waved to Hakan. The old squirrel scampered to the gates and unlatched them. He swung open the gates as the yelling horde came into sight. The mouse, Galea Tailflick, ran through the gates.  
  
"Thankee, otter, squirrel," she panted.  
  
"M'name's Hakan."  
  
"I'm Kella." Kella shook Galea's paw. "Who was the fox?"  
  
"I believe that they called him Cravvu. He seemed to be the head of the horde."  
  
Hakan rubbed his chin. "This means that Kabble and Deyinvo aren't here."  
  
"Yes...but where could they be?" muttered Kella. She smiled at Galea. "Come and meet our Abbess, Galea."  
  
The otter and mouse, who was really a rat in disguise, headed towards the Abbey.  
  
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"KOORRRRRUUUUUUFYYYYYYYYLOOOOOOOOOO!!" screamed Varsha, racing towards the toad leader. "KORUFYLO SPEECHYAAAAAAAARRRRD! NOOOOOO!"  
  
Varsha pushed toads out of her way and descended upon the toad leader. She began hacking and slicing, punching and kicking, screaming and weeping as she battled the toad leader. Everybeast was watching the badger and toad fight, rodent and amphibian. Trident and sword met, clashing and clanging in the Death Music.  
  
Varsha pushed the toad to the ground. The trident flew from his webbed paw.  
  
"Craaawwwk! Mercymercymercymercymercy!" the toad leader croaked out.  
  
"MERCY? IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT, COWARD! YOU SHOWED NO MERCY TO KORU, DID YOU!" screamed Varsha, blinded by tears.  
  
Varsha swung down Flamebird. The toad died with a last croak.  
  
The toads scampered away. Tiponya and Riley, who had been untied from their nets and freed, raced after the toads.  
  
Varsha dropped Flamebird and ran over to Koru. There was a long, bleeding gash stretched across his chest.  
  
The big, fierce, badger warrior, who had killed, seen death, been wounded, was now cradling the hare in her arms like a doll and weeping like a Dibbun who had lost her parents.  
  
"Is...Korufylo..." Egua swallowed the lump in her throat, trying vainly to fight back tears.  
  
All Varsha could do was sob and nod. Egua went over to Varsha to try to comfort her.  
  
Lilyblossom looked into the Screamhole. "Hey, anybeast down there?"  
  
"Yes," called up a trembling, male voice. "I'm Fshio Zeespike. There's Odell Kiggum, and then there's Waterfish Ottermaid."  
  
"Don't forget ussss."  
  
"Oh, yes. There's Firespark and Lightningflash, two eels. They're vegetarians."  
  
Lilyblossom and Majjit tossed down nets to help the five beasts up. Waterfish was still unconscious.  
  
"Is she...dead?" asked Lilyblossom in a whispered.  
  
"Nay," replied Odell. "She's alive, but barely."  
  
Majjit turned to Egua and Varsha. "Come on, Milady. Loved ones don't live forever."  
  
Varsha stood up, holding the limp figure of Korufylo Speechyard.  
  
"Yes, they do, Majjit. Thy do. The body may be dead, but you will always hold loved ones in your heart." Varsha wiped tears from her eyes. "Koru will never leave us. He is always in our hearts."  
  
() Whoa. I killed Koru. I DIDN'T MEAN TOOOOOOO! ME SWEARS IT! It was spur of the moment, I mean, someone has to die in a battle. Why not Korufylo? Oh, but he was my second favorite hare. (Lilyblossom's my favorite.) Korufylo was funny. Tell me if it was a good decision to kill Korufylo. I want your input! () 


	21. Chasing Varsha

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE, CHASING VARSHA  
  
Galea bowed low to the Abbess. They were in Cavern Hole, were lunch was taking place.  
  
"Dearest Abbess. I am HONORED to meet you," whispered Galea. Leafswirl chuckled.  
  
"Harrharrharr, naow, you'm doant have ter say thawt. Yer welcoom at Reddall."  
  
Galea gave a gasp of shock. "You mean it, yer Abbessness? Oh, thankee, marm, thankee!"  
  
"Jost call meh 'Movver' or 'Abbess'. Oi'm no gurt Abbessness."  
  
Galea got up from her bow. "I thankee, Mother Abbess. You are truly kind."  
  
Leafswirl blushed. "Nay, nay, Oi'm jost doin' moi job yurr, mizzy."  
  
Galea smirked happily. She had gotten into Redwall when not even Deyinvo could, and the Redwallers had welcomed her.  
  
'And Cravvu was left in charge! He can't even think of a plan to fool these Redwallers. Hah!' Galea chortled to herself and then sat down in a chair between a mole and an otter. Across from her sat a mouse who was looking at her suspiciously.  
  
"Hello," greeted Galea.  
  
"Hello," replied the mouse slowly.  
  
"I'm Galea. Who're you?"  
  
"My name's Fryungle," replied the mouse. "Eat up. You must be tired and hungry."  
  
"Burr, mizzy, 'ave some o' this." The mole on Galea's right handed her a dish. "'Tis the fammush deeper'n'ever turnip'n'tater'beetroot poi. Boi th' way, Oi'm the Foremole."  
  
"Oh, thankee, sir Foremole, thankee. Yer very kind."  
  
"Harrharrharr, Oi'm jost off'rin' ye some o' th' delishush Reddall fudd!" Foremole chuckled.  
  
Galea took a portion of the pie and put it on her plate. She passed it over to the otter.  
  
"Hoi there, missy, y'want some of this shrimp 'n' 'otroot soup?" the otter asked. The otter had bay fur and sapphire colored eyes. "By the way, m'name's Tyrossa. I'm one o' Joranzo's crew."  
  
Galea took a sip of the shrimp and hotroot soup. "Ah, 's hot, 's hot!"  
  
Tyrossa roared with laughter. "Wot'd ye think, that it'd be cooler'n ice? That's why it's called 'otroot soup!"  
  
Tyrossa eagerly put his spoon into the soup and ate greedily.  
  
"Mmm, good," he sighed. Galea passed the shrimp and hotroot soup towards Foremole, who passed it to the squirrel next to him.  
  
Through the meal, Fryungle kept a close eye on Galea as he chatted with Tyrossa. Fryungle watched the "mouse" until one of Varsha's hares came racing into Cavern Hole.  
  
"Abbess, c'mere, quick!" panted the hare. "Me 'n' the others 'aven't seen Lady Varsha for two days, the day where she told us th' story, wot. Well, ole Brother Marrev says that the Badgerlady's in th' Infirmary. He tole us to leave 'er alone to convalesce, wotever 'e means by that. So's then we – meanin' m'wife Dewstar 'n' I – go to bring 'er some food. She ain't there!"  
  
Brother Marrev stood up. "Impossible!" cried the vole. "She told me that she would stay in there and wouldn't see anyone till she was ready to face herself!"  
  
Leafswirl waited until everyone quieted down.  
  
"Mayhaps she'm ran 'way," suggested Leafswirl.  
  
The hare, Yuppas Scuttwitch, nodded enthusiastically. "Aye, aye, she might've!" Yuppas sidled up to the Abbess and whispered into her ear, "May I ask these kind Redwallers iffen they want to 'elp me find Varsha?"  
  
Leafswirl nodded. Yuppas looked at the Redwallers, who were watching him eagerly.  
  
"Does any chap or chappess here wish t'help me find Badgerlady Varsha Midelli? She might've gone after Kabble Ionaeyes and Deyinvo Ejunn the Conqueror. 'S dangerous."  
  
There was a silence, and then Tyrossa stood up. "I'll go wi' ye, Yuppas!"  
  
In the end, eight of Joranzo's crew (including Redrudder and Moonshine), Kella, Foremole, two other moles, Yuppas, his wife Dewstar Scuttwitch, sixteen hares, a dozen mice, eight squirrels, six shrews including Log-a- Log Quiodia, and four hedgehogs were going to find Varsha. All of the hares had wanted to go, but had been convinced by Kella to stay and help protect Redwall.  
  
Dewstar counted how many were coming with them.  
  
"Sixty." She shook her head. "Blinkin' small number for an army, eh wot. But we must prevail!"  
  
"When d'we go out and find Varsha?" called Joranzo.  
  
"As soon as possible!" exclaimed Yuppas. "Now would be best!"  
  
Kella looked out one of the stain glassed windows. "Hmm, we kin go out now. Light 'nuff."  
  
Yuppas nodded. "Let's go, chaps and chappesses!"  
  
Dewstar whispered something in Yuppas' ear.  
  
"Err, yes. Weapons. Get weapons!"  
  
The Redwallers got window poles for hooked staffs. The otters in Joranzo's crew got daggers and slings. Even though he was young, Tyrossa was put in charge of the otters. Kella was given some otter javelins and took her own sling. The moles grabbed pots and pans for weapons. The hares used their own weapons.  
  
Before they left, Yuppas asked, "Are you sure that you want to do this? Back down if not. I will think no less of you."  
  
Nobeast backed down. Yuppas grinned. "I knew that Redwall was full of bravebeasts, wot wot!"  
  
The hare grinned and flung open Redwall gates.  
  
"Goo out ee West Gate. Thawt's ee Gate thawt's not taken o'er by vermint. G'luck," called Abbess Leafswirl.  
  
The sixty volunteers marched out of the doors and went around to the West Gate. They exited, not knowing what fate awaited them outside of the Gates of Redwall.  
  
() Hm. Ending. Sounds more like a book ending, not a chapter ending. But I wanted to end this chapter, and I couldn't really think of a good ending, and I didn't want to do a cliffy or anything. Also, I think that the Redwallers would've noticed that Varsha had gone missing. So I had to add that in so that I wouldn't have people asking me why the Redwallers didn't notice Varsha gone. ()  
  
)( Varsha scares me. )(  
  
() Haha, I already know what's gonna happen. XD TYROSSA! Spur of el moment name. ()  
  
)( If anyone is confused with anything, just email me at brynkeanefarrell.com. Also...does anyone know ff.net's email address? I want to ask them to add TWO categories. )( 


	22. The Dark Forest

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO, THE DARK FOREST  
  
() Good golly gosh, I haven't updated for a while, 'ave I? GASPERS! Whoa. Crazy. Well, I have good plans for the future. Veddy good plans. Heeheehee. ()  
  
Yuppas Scuttwitch stopped, panting. The Redwallers and other volunteers to finding Varsha stopped behind him, gasping for breath. Tyrossa made his way up to where Yuppas was.  
  
"Scuttwitch, mate, we need to find Varsha. Did you realize that Korufylo Speechyard, Lilyblossom, Majjit, and Egua Rarfin are all wi' Varsh?"  
  
Yuppas' eyes grew wide. "No! I coulda sworn that I saw 'em 'ere!"  
  
The hare looked around the group that had wanted to help find Varsha. They were leaning against trees or sitting on the ground. Dewstar came up to Yuppas.  
  
"What's wrong, wot wot?" asked Dewstar.  
  
"Koru, Lily, Majjit, and Egua all 'ave gone after Lady Varsha before'and!" exclaimed Yuppas.  
  
"WHAT?" exclaimed Dewstar. "But...but...Lily's my sister! She's too young t'be out there!"  
  
Tyrossa heaved a haversack onto his back. "I'll run ahead and see if I can find them. We've been travelin' through the night, but I 'ave some strength. I'll ask Redrudder and Moonflash t'come."  
  
Soon, Tyrossa, Redrudder, and Moonflash each had a haversack on their backs. Redrudder was a rust-red otter with wide blue eyes. Moonflash was a gentle looking otter, a dark gray, with light gray eyes. The three otters set off at a lope, following the path of broken trees and bent bushes that Varsha had gone along.  
  
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Waterfish was sitting cross legged, her head bowed down. She had her eyes closed.  
  
"Song..." came a whispery voice. Waterfish looked up. She had gotten so used to being called "Waterfish" that she had forgotten about her real name. "Song..."  
  
"Who's there?" called back Waterfish. She realized that she was near a large, gold gate. There were dark trees around the gate. The only thing shining and light was the gate.  
  
Waterfish stood up. She put her right paw on the gate.  
  
"No," cried the whispery voice. Out of the forest in front of her strode three otters. Who were they...?  
  
"Songtamer! Songtamer!" cried the foremost one, the one with the whispery voice. Waterfish's eyes widened. It was Honeyflower, her mother! The two otters behind Honeyflower were Bowfire, her brother, and Eyeshine, her father!  
  
"What are you doing here?" gasped Waterfish.  
  
"Don't go through these gates," exclaimed Bowfire, her voice very firm. "Do not enter."  
  
Waterfish placed her left paw next to her right paw. "Why?" she asked.  
  
"This is the Dark Forest, dear. Don't come through," shouted Eyeshine  
  
It seemed to last for days that Waterfish wanted to enter through the gates. Her family wouldn't let her. Hyas Stickspike, Loynia Stickspike, Nottane Zeespike, Skipper, and many other friends, and beasts that she did not know but where connected to her somehow, came to the Gates of the Dark Forest.  
  
"Waterfish, go back," cried Skipper, holding the Gates closed firmly.  
  
"You mustn't enter, Song," Hyas cried.  
  
"Go, ottermaid, go help your friends," exclaimed Loynia.  
  
"Help my son in yer quest," whispered Nottane. "Fshio needs help. He is but a young lad. Orruman was right to send him with ye, of course, but he is still a hoglet at heart."  
  
"Good luck," chorused all of the voice. Waterfish backed away from the Gates. As she began to come back to reality, she heard a voice cry, "Give my son my love and my luck, Songtamer Swordslash."  
  
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It was three days since the Screamhole.  
  
Fshio woke up to hear someone mumble, "Songtamer Swordslash." The hedgehog saw Waterfish sitting up.  
  
"You're alive!" he cried in a happy whisper. "Who's Songtamer Swordslash?"  
  
Waterfish shook her head. "Someone I knew in the far past and someone that I will never see again until we recover Martin's sword."  
  
Waterfish began to tell Fshio about her adventure in Dark Forest, and about Fshio's mother.  
  
() Okay, that's a wrap. Tell me: do you like shorter or longer chapters? Lately these've been 2-3 pages, but I was checking back to see if I had Nottane's name correct and that chapter was six pages long! Should I do 2-3 page long chapter, or 5-6-7 page long chapters? Or in between? Tell me what you think. ()  
  
)( About the Dark Forest: Mr. Jacques has never really described what the Dark Forest is like, so I decided to describe it how I thought it was like. Hope you like my description! )( 


	23. Revenge Takes Its Toll

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE, REVENGE TAKES ITS TOLL  
  
() Hey. I'm not good at HTML but I was fooling around with it in this chapter if it doesn't /b then I'll stop doing it. ()  
  
Mateo and Quidjill Dearhare gripped their battleblades tightly in their paws. Mateo stomped angrily into the room that contained Harrairdus the rat, Woinada the stoat, Grudain the ferret, and Sadru the weasel.  
  
"Don't kill us," mourned Woinada.  
  
"Please, please, mercy!" wailed Grudain.  
  
"LIKE THE MERCY YOU SHOWED OUR PARENTS!" snapped Mateo, shaking with anger. Fresh tears accumulated in his eyes.  
  
"Who?" asked Sadru, trying to remember. They had killed many hares in their lifetime.  
  
"The Dearhares. Them. You murdered 'em." The brother and sister had dropped their joking manner. It was time to teach these vermin a lesson.  
  
Harrairdus nodded. "Aye, I r'member the Dearhares. The ole bloke who gave us food who we kilt. Then 'is wife."  
  
"The ones who were kind t'you who y'murdered!" snarled Mateo. Quidjill was shaking, but not because of anger. Because she was scared. She was afraid of what Mateo would do to the vermin. She gripped her sword tighter. Quidjill had been in a few battles in her lifetime, but she had never done a face-to-face, sword-to-sword, paw-to-claw, tooth-to-fang battle. She had just been another dutiful hare in the army, slaying enemies and helping allies.  
  
Mateo held his scimitar underneath Sadru's nose. "D'you remember when you gave me this scar?" The hare moved pushed some fur away on his face to reveal the long, hurting scar. Sadru nodded, trembling with fear. "Y'do? Good. So you'll remember his scimitar. This battleblade belonged to Hortwill Longblade Braebuck. He was my great-great-great-great-grandsire." Mateo was breathing hard, as though he was using most of his willpower to stop himself from yelling, "/i" and begin slicing and chopping at the vermin that had taken away everybeast that he loved except for his sister, Quidjill. Mateo continued, "D'you know why our surname isn't 'Braebuck'?"  
  
Sadru the weasel shook his head nervously, swallowing a lump of fear in his throat.  
  
"Well, Hortwill Braebuck's great-great-grandchild was a girl. When she got married, she changed her last name. To Dearhare."  
  
Mateo held the scimitar gripped the scimitar with both paws. "Get up, you vermin. I should be slaying you on the spot, but that's the way of you, you bilge, thieving, murdering weasel!"  
  
Sadru scrambled to his footpaws, sobbing, "Thank you, thank you for sparing me – "  
  
"I'm not sparing you," replied Mateo coldly. "I'm giving you the chance to fight me, like a real warrior. Sadly, your last battle, this battle, will not make up for the horrors that you have created. Beasts have died because of you."  
  
"Beasts have died because of you," cried Sadru, nervously accepting the battleblade that Mateo had offered him, a machete.  
  
"No. Beasts 'aven't died 'cos of me." Mateo's eyes glinted with the light of battle, with the prospect of sending the one who had tried to slay him to Hellgates. "Vermin have died 'cos of me."  
  
Sadru had had enough. Wanting to impress Harrairdus the rat, Woinada the stoat, and Grudain the ferret, he charged at Mateo Dearhare, his machete tip pointed straight at Mateo's stomach. "iYaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrggghh!!! Deyyyiiinnvooo Eeejuunnn!!!/i"  
  
Mateo brought down the scimitar. The machete tip crashed against the blade, making Sadru stumble back.  
  
Quidjill, aroused by the panorama of battle, drew her own sword and grabbed Harrairdus by the back of his torn and muddy tunic.  
  
"You're mine, rat!" shouted Quidjill. The rat ducked the swinging blade. "Get a weapon," ordered the hare, pointing the sword point towards a pile of three weapons. Harrairdus grabbed a rapier and held it up nervously. Quidjill jumped in the air and brought down her sword, roaring, "i Euulaaaaliiiaaaa/i!"  
  
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The weather seemed to reflect Varsha's mood: rainy, weepy, a mixture of rain and hail thundering down, with angry thunder and lightning overhead.  
  
"Milady, 'twasn't yer fault – " began Majjit, trying to comfort Varsha as they sat beneath a leafy oak as they escaped the rain. Odell, Waterfish, and Riley were enjoying the rain, but Tiponya, Varsha, Fshio, Egua Rarfin, Majjit, and Lilyblossom were hidden away under trees, hoping not to get wet.  
  
"Are you saying that it was Korufylo's fault that he got killed?" snapped Varsha Midelli. "Are you saying that Korufylo was just a stupid, blundering hare?"  
  
"Lady, I would /i say that about a hare! Never!" exclaimed Majjit. Varsha covered her eyes with her giant paws.  
  
"I'm sorry, Majjit, I'm sorry," she wept. "I've known since I was a babe, and losing him was like losing a brother..."  
  
Waterfish heard what Varsha was saying and nodded to herself. She wanted to tell Varsha that at least she knew that Koru had loved her, that Koru didn't think that she was a coward, that the last word that she had ever heard from her adoptive brother was, "Coward!" But she didn't. She didn't think that it would comfort Varsha very much.  
  
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Galea lay down in a bed in the Infirmary. She liked this bed much better than the cold, hard ground that she had to sleep on. This bed had a soft, fluffy white duvet and a pillow that Galea's head could sink into. Before she knew it, the tired rat was asleep.  
  
Galea woke up early the next morning. She crept down the stairs, leaving her bed unmade, and climbed up to the Abbey ramparts. She saw Cravvu standing, arms crossed, just outside of the forest. Galea drew from her pocket a red scarf and let it flutter in the breeze. Cravvu nodded to show that he understood. Galea held up a hand in front of her face as a sign to say, "STAY". She ducked down below the ramparts and held the scarf flat. Galea rummaged around in her pocket until she found a broken piece of charcoal. She wrote down the following:  
  
bCravvu, there is much going on in Redwall. Last night I heard the Abbess, a mole, talking to this big, brawny otter. Her name was Kella. I think she named Kella in charge of the battle plans, but only if they know of an attack beforepaw, so they will not fight unprovoked, which is good news for us! If you need anything else, I can volunteer to go out looking for "herbs" and really get orders from you. Wave the scarf twice in your right paw if you have orders for me!/b  
  
Galea peeked over the ramparts. Cravvu was still standing there, looking impatient. Galea held the scarf high above her head, waiting for a good breeze to come. When the wind picked up, she let go of the scarf. Cravvu stuck out a claw and snatched the scarf from the air easily. He nodded slowly and then turned around and silently strode back into Mossflower Woods, where the rest of the vast army was waiting.  
  
() I hope that the HTML worked. If it didn't, please tell me so that I can stop. Okay, thanks! Please review and, if you think that your friend(s) would like it, tell him/her/it/they! Gracias! ()  
  
)( Also, goodbeasts go to Dark Forest and badbeasts go to Hellgates, don't they? I was reading "Mariel of Redwall" and that's how it is then...Oh well. I'll use it that way. )( 


	24. Mutiny

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR, MUTINY  
  
"Hah," Cravvu sneered, having just finished reading the note that Galea had jotted down. "Stupid Redwallers, not making an attack plan!" He threw back his head and laughed, his yellowing fangs glinting in the rising sun. Galea's friend, Zinkula the marten, looked up from the dandelion roots she was cooking over the breakfast fire.  
  
"Aye, they may be stupid by not makin' an attack plan, but they're quick on wit and long on courage." Zinkula added some sharp cheddar cheese to her dandelion roots. She bit into them, then spat out the roots and decided to eat the meager offering of cheese instead. "They'll give a good fight, Crav. We could lose many."  
  
Cravvu whirled on Zinkula. "Don't call me 'Crav'!" ordered the fox angrily. "And, sure, they'll give a good fight, but they'll die or become slaves in th' end, won't they? So we can beat 'em if they don' surrender to us."  
  
Cravvu turned away from the marten as she snapped a thick twig with her bare claws.  
  
'We'll see who becomes the leader soon, fox. You may make good battle plans, but do you have the wit, the cunning, the courage to act them out?' thought Zinkula angrily. 'You don't know this, and you never will, but we've been plottin' 'gainst ye. I, Galea, Awlae the fox, and most o' the rest of 'em will win. No one is fully on yer side, Cravvu. No one...except for Jalinx and Kabble!' Zinkula threw the twig halves into the fire and stood up. 'But Galea doesn't need to know that her husband Jalinx is a traitor till there's a blade between his ribs and I'm horde leader!'  
  
Jalinx the rat, Galea's husband, knew that there was a sedition going on. And he was going to tell Cravvu as soon as he could get the fox alone.  
  
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Cravvu stepped in front of the Abbey. The wall guards had been changed. Cravvu saw a large, burly female hedgehog standing in front, glaring at him.  
  
"What d'you want, fox?" snapped down the hedgehog, who was the Cellarhog, Louveenia.  
  
"I need to speak wi' that mousymaid we chased yesterday," called up Cravvu. Louveenia called down an order to somebeast on the grounds. A few moments later, the "mouse" came up to the ramparts.  
  
"What d'you want with me?" called down Galea.  
  
"You defied us. You stole our bread and cheese."  
  
"It got lost when I dropped it!" shouted Galea shrilly.  
  
Cravvu glared through angry eyes up at Galea. "You need to pay for it."  
  
"Never," screamed Galea madly. It was all an act.  
  
Cravvu took out a red scarf and held it in his right paw. He waved it twice.  
  
As though by magic, the forest was flooded with vermin, all baring their teeth, waving their weapons, and jeering insults.  
  
'The red scarf. The red scarf!' thought Galea excitedly. 'He has orders for me!'  
  
"Come down here, or we'll kill the hedgehog," snarled Cravvu. Galea saw ten bows with taut shafts on their strings all aimed directly at Louveenia.  
  
"Alright, alright, just don't kill an innocent beast," cried Galea. "What do I have to do? Get you more bread and cheese?"  
  
"Galea, what are you doing!" cried a voice from the ground. Galea looked down to see the mouse Fryungle glaring up at her. Fryungle seemed shocked that he had yelled at a guest to the Abbey, but he knew that something suspicious was up.  
  
Fryungle climbed up to the ramparts. "Both of you get down!" he ordered. Both of them immediately ducked. So did Fryungle as a huge hail of arrows and stones streamed towards them. Arrows clattered against the Abbey's red stones, some flying over to stick in the trees and some hissing down to thud into the well-kept grass.  
  
"They'd attack the Abbey more fiercely if I didn't go and give them what they wanted," Galea tried to reason with Fryungle, but he held her down from the arrows and rocks.  
  
"We can fight them, Galea. Well, the warriors can." Fryungle looked around, his ears twitching, trying to pick up sound. The young mouse stuck a paw straight in the air, over the ramparts so that the vermin could see it.  
  
/i "Ow!" shouted Fryungle painfully, bringing down his paw swiftly. "They just shot a rock at my paw. Ow, owowowowow!" He shook the paw vigorously, as though the pain was a crab that had latched onto one of his fingers and he was trying to shake it off.  
  
"'Ere, Fryungle, lemme see it," offered Louveenia. The pompous Cellarhog crawled over to Fryungle. She looked his paw in hers. Louveenia studied Fryungle's paw for a while, prodding fingers and tapping here and there, checking for this and that. Finally, Louveenia nodded. "Yep, 'tis broken, or at least sprained. Y'should go to th' Infirmary and see Brother Marrev. I have to slay vermin."  
  
Fryungle nodded painfully and, crouching to keep his head low, he raced down the stairs, tears of pain welling up in his eyes and the mouse scampered towards Marrev the Infirmary-Keeper, whom was standing out on the grounds, tending to the wounded.  
  
"Hoi, you there, stop!" a voice rang out. Fryungle jerked his head around so forcefully that it felt like something hot was slithering down the inside of his neck, but he ignored it. Galea was streaking across the ramparts.  
  
"'Hold fire!" roared a voice from the vermin horde. "She's gonna come to us." The last arrow ripped through the leaf of a tree and then slammed into an apple from an apple tree, snapping the fruit from the tree and having it whirl across the lawn. The last stone zip right past Foremole's ear, almost taking it off in the process.  
  
Louveenia leapt up and darted past those who were trying to catch Galea, yelling, "iGalea, stop, don't give in to vermin!/i"  
  
Galea leapt over the last two steps of the rampart stairs, hollering back, "I gave them my word. I wouldn't break my promise to anybeast, goodbeast or no!"  
  
'These /i Redwallers!' Galea almost laughed aloud as she thought this. 'When we conquer Redwall, I should become an actress!'  
  
Louveenia began running down the steps, but then, deciding to impress everybeast and to catch up with the rat pretending to be a mouse, she leapt off of the side of the staircase, landing agonizingly on her ankle. She gave a gasp of pain.  
  
Marrev patted Fryungle's uninjured paw – his right paw – and ran over to Louveenia, who was clutching her ankle, pulling a face that looked like she was in great pain.  
  
Without warning, Fryungle's mind went back to the beginning of the season, which seemed ages ago, when he had thought to himself, 'I am the swiftest Abbeydweller. No ottermaid can defeat me. I just come in second all the time because I had been untrained. But I raced Skipper, who beat me last year, as part of my training, and I won against him. I can win.' Fryungle saw a mouse clad in armor standing next to Galea as the "mouse" whizzed past.  
  
"Stop Galea, Fryungle! Save the Abbey," cried the armored mouse.  
  
Fryungle ignored his injured paw as his footpaws lashed at the ground. Fryungle ran lightly and quickly, barely touching the ground. To flabbergasted observers, Fryungle seemed to have both footpaws in the air sometimes as he loped after the running rat.  
  
Fryungle put on an extra spurt of speed and leapt into the air, almost grabbing Galea. The mouse tripped over a stone and fell with a scream. He hit his head on a rock that had been slung by vermin and remembered no more.  
  
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Tyrossa was amazed at the tracking skills of Moonflash. When Tyrossa had pointed out a snapped branch, Moonflash had picked up the branch and sniffed the edge of it.  
  
"Nay, it smells like wildcat. We should hurry out of this area." Moonflash carefully replaced the branch and pointed towards a rock. "See this rock? Well, there are some exposed bugs that I believe used to live underneath this rock and there's not as much dust motes here. These look like hare footpawprints. Let's follow 'em." Moonflash hurried ahead.  
  
Tyrossa was speechless, but Redrudder just laughed.  
  
"Moonflash likes you, matey. She's just showin' off." Redrudder grinned and followed his sister, calling, "'Ey, Moonflash, wot 'bout that pile of leaves? There are more yellows'n reds. Wot d'you think that means?"  
  
Moonflash glanced at the pile of leaves. "Wot it means, thickhead, is tha' somebeast likes red dried leaves and doesn't like yellows! It smells like bankvole. D'you see the small river through the clearing? That's where the bankvole went, smart one!"  
  
Redrudder winked at Tyrossa. "See, she's a good tracker, I suppose, but she does it to impress ye. C'mon, Tyrossa, gotta find a badger and three hares!"  
  
Tyrossa bounded after Redrudder and Moonflash.  
  
() End of chapter. Either chapter twenty-five or twenty-six, most likely twenty-six, will be called "Martin's Prediction Makes Sense". I think that some of you might know what it is about. I love making predictions in stories, with Seers and such, because you can mystify your readers/reviewers and then reveal to them all, and they think, 'Hey, that actually does make sense! Great synonyms!' That makes me happy. ()  
  
)( I know that, in one of these little doodads down here, after el storyo, I did: iXD TYROSSA!/i It might not happen. If it doesn't happen, I will tell you what it is. I've been trying to think about ways for it to happen, and I just got a BRILL idea. Well, see ya on the reviewin' side! )( 


	25. The End of Mutineers

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE, THE END OF MUTINEERS  
  
At a paw motion from Cravvu, a fox named Rofdill charged at Galea as she opened the small wicker gate. Rofdill drew his rapier and put it at Galea's throat as he dragged the rat away from the Abbey.  
  
"Don't fire, or I'll kill the maid!" roared Rofdill. There was immediate quietness. Rofdill dragged away the rat pretending to be a mouse. The army retreated into the woods, Galea screaming and kicking, trying to get free.  
  
Kella gripped her sling tightly in rage. "The awfulness of it all! They captured poor Galea! She's a naïve little mousemaid, but to be captured by vermin? Ugh! Poor dear."  
  
The otter looked down onto the grounds and saw a group of Abbeydwellers standing around Fryungle.  
  
"Hoi, what 'appened to Fryungle?" asked Kella, running down the steps of the ramparts to see what had happened to the mouse.  
  
"Burr, ee got ee gurt inghzurry. Bruvver Marrev, bring ee Fr'ungle up to ee Infirmary," ordered Abbess Leafswirl.  
  
"I'll 'elp," volunteered Kella. She picked up the limp mouse and jogged into the Abbey, with Brother Marrev racing behind her.  
  
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Galea stood in front of Cravvu. She pushed away Rofdill the fox, who had out a sword, as though wary of Galea.  
  
"What d'you want me t'do, Cravvu? I'm gonna pr'tend that you captured me and tole me to – oh, I dunno. Um..." Galea paused for a second. "That you tole me to ask the Abbess to surrender. Now, what d'you want?"  
  
Cravvu's eyes glinted happily. "I have only one instruction: open up the gates for us at midnight tomorrow night. We'll be waiting."  
  
Galea nodded and then swiftly turned around to head back to the Abbey. ()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()( )()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()  
  
"They told me to tell you that you must surrender or that they will kill every one of you," gasped out Galea to the Abbess. Leafswirl looked frightened.  
  
"We won't give up the Abbey to some snotnosed fox who has taken place of a rat!" shouted Kella. The Redwallers gave up a mighty cheer.  
  
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Woinada, Sadru, Grudain, and Harrairdus were dead. Quidjill and Mateo were looking pleased and relieved.  
  
"Hey, you hare," called up a voice. Quidjill stuck her head out of a window.  
  
"What?" she yelled back down. It was Kabble Ionaeyes and Deyinvo Ejunn. Deyinvo now had the sword of Martin the Warrior by his side.  
  
"Yer back to Salamandastron, now we want our hordemembers!" yelled Kabble.  
  
"With pleasure," shouted Mateo, and he threw the bodies out the window.  
  
"THIS IS WAR, HARE! THIS IS WAR!" screamed Deyinvo.  
  
"It already was," roared back the brother and sister. They grabbed the closest chunk of rock and threw it at the rat and the ermine, hollering, "EEEEEEUUUUUAAAAAAALIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"  
  
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"I'll kill them," murmured Deyinvo. "Tomorrow night will be the last battle."  
  
"That's the first day of winter," exclaimed Kabble as the two vermin ducked the rocks and ran back to where the rest of the horde was hiding.  
  
"Yes, I know. They won't be expecting that."  
  
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Varsha stood on top of a sand dune, gazing straight ahead. The others were at the bottom of the sand dune.  
  
"What's up there, Varsha?" called Fshio.  
  
Varsha looked excitedly down at her friends and roared, "Saaalaaamaaandaaastrooon!"  
  
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Tyrossa, Moonflash, and Redrudder had been traveling for three days straight, only stopping to fill up their water bottles and to dig food out of their packs. They were exhausted.  
  
"We must find them. They could be in grave danger," panted Moonflash. She was running hard, trying to go faster and farther, but she couldn't. Redrudder fell to the ground, gasping for breath.  
  
"Tyrossa, tell her to stop," he rasped, and fell into an instant slumber. Tyrossa got himself comfortable in some loam and cried, "Moonflash, stop!"  
  
"No," she called back. A few yards later, she collapsed.  
  
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Galea lay back down on her bed in the Infirmary. She had been given a strict telling-off by Kella, telling her not to go and do what vermin wanted you to do. Galea shook her head as she got comfortable.  
  
'You'll soon see, Kella,' she thought as she heard Fryungle moan in his sleep.  
  
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All was quiet in Redwall Abbey. Never would they have suspected the horrors that would occur only two days from now.  
  
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Cravvu nodded as Jalinx, Galea's husband, finished telling him of the plan for mutiny.  
  
"I thought so. Jealous of me, eh?" Cravvu didn't laugh. "I'll fix 'em. Who are the leaders?"  
  
"Galea, Zinkula, and Awlae the fox."  
  
"Awlae the fox, eh?" Cravvu grinned. "I'll see you later, Jalinx. I'm glad that I trust somebeast in this 'ere horde, matey." With that, he swaggered off to talk to Awlae the fox.  
  
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Awlae the fox was sitting alone when Cravvu came over.  
  
"Wot d'you want, Crav?" asked Awlae warily.  
  
"Lissen, mate, I'm gonna do some things tonight. I want you to be in charge. Sleep in my tent. Don't let anythin' get mussed up."  
  
Cravvu left Awlae all alone again.  
  
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Zinkula held a dagger in her claws, sharpening it on a tree. She could hear somebeast snoring in Cravvu's tent.  
  
"Cravvu," she breathed. A stoat and a rat, named Eyetooth and Lashclaw, accompanied her.  
  
"Eyetooth, if he awakens, hold 'im down. Lashclaw, devoid the tent of any weapons." Zinkula looked at each of her mates before whispering, "Let's go."  
  
Lashclaw entered first. He came out with a new dagger, two swords, and a knife that had once belonged to Cravvu.  
  
"Lashclaw you can have a sword. I'll take this sword. Eyetooth – take the dagger and knife."  
  
They all put on their new weapons and Zinkula headed into the tent, dagger held high. She saw the slumbering fox and brought down the dagger.  
  
Awlae woke up for one swift scream.  
  
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Cravvu heard this all from a tall tree – the same tree that Zinkula had been sharpening her dagger on!  
  
The wily fox climbed down from the tree and walked into the tent. He drew his sword.  
  
"Thought you were clever, eh?"  
  
Zinkula turned and her jaw dropped. "But – but – "  
  
"I learned that it's best to kill traitors as soon as I see 'em. You forgot about Jalinx."  
  
Zinkula turned back to the now lifeless body. "AWLAE!" she cried, just realizing that she had slain the wrong fox.  
  
For Cravvu to dispose of the mutineers, it was just one swift slice!  
  
() Hoho, I killed the mutineers! Yay! () 


	26. Martin's Prediction Makes Sense

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX, MARTIN'S PREDICTION MAKES SENSE  
  
Galea stole quietly onto the grounds. She was shroud in a black cloak and was heading towards the gatehouse cottage, where Hakan Furlgate had taken her dagger into.  
  
Galea opened the door. She slowly and quietly searched the gatehouse, and soon found her dagger underneath Hakan's mattress (the old squirrel was sleeping in an armchair). She hid it in her cloak and stole back to the Abbey.  
  
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Galea woke up the next morning, refreshed and quivering with excitement. That night would be the night to end all.  
  
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Tyrossa woke up. He saw Redrudder and Moonflash, thankfully, alive and awake. Tyrossa scrambled to his feet.  
  
"Let's go," he cried as he began to run deeper into the woods.  
  
After a few hours of running, they came to a beach. There were many sand dunes and the clear footpawprints in the sand. The three otters began scrambling up the dunes.  
  
"I know this area!" shouted Moonflash in a voice that was hoarse, yet filled with excitement. "We're almost home!"  
  
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The eight friends – Riley, Tiponya, Varsha, Egua, Majjit, Lilyblossom, Waterfish, Fshio, and Odell – skirted the enemy camp. Varsha had suddenly become joyful in the prospect of seeing her home again. She raced towards the mountain ahead of them all, sand flying from underneath her footpaws, no sound in her ears except for the sound of her own ragged, excited breathing and of her friends' breathing. Varsha reached the mountain first.  
  
"Egua, Majjit, Lily, we're HOME!" she exclaimed. The three hares came in next. They all jumped with excitement.  
  
Soon, the other four caught up. The dog and the owl were too big to fit inside, but after much persuasion that they were able to take care of themselves in case any vermin came, Varsha allowed them to stay outside. Waterfish, Odell, and Fshio followed the badger and the hares up a ladder in the fire mountain.  
  
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Deyinvo drew the sword of Martin. It was about noon.  
  
"Five hours till dark," he muttered. He began whetting the blade against a rock. "Five hours till I go through with my plan."  
  
A ferret approached Deyinvo. "Lord, there is an owlbird and something that looks like a wolf but with floppy ears guarding Salamandastron. I think that owlbirds are on the side of those bumpkins, and the owlbird and the wolf seem to be friends. D'you think that they are enemies to be worried about?"  
  
Deyinvo stopped whetting the blade and threw back his head, laughing. "Enemies to be worried about? Hah! By this time tomorrow, they'll be gone from our memories forever!!"  
  
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The three otters banged on the side of the mountain with their fists.  
  
"Who goes there?" called down a gruff voice.  
  
"Redrudder, Tyrossa, and Moonflash," called up the otters in unison.  
  
"Redrudder, Moonflash!" cried the gruff voice, and Joranzo and his sister, Ikkala, Moonflash's twin, leapt down.  
  
"Yer alive!" exclaimed Joranzo, fiercely hugging his brother. Ikkala was hugging her twin happily, tears streaming down her face.  
  
"Oh, I was so afraid that you had been slain," she bawled.  
  
"We're alive, Jo, we're alive. Have you seen the Badgerlady, Egua, Majjit, Lily, and Koru?"  
  
Joranzo's face grew serious when he heard the name of Korufylo Speechyard. "Come wi' me, mates. You too, Tyrossa. Up the ladder. I have some sad news about Koru."  
  
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Galea opened up the main gates. Hakan woke up to the creaking up wood. He shuffled outside and saw Galea holding her dagger in her teeth as she let the army in.  
  
"Hey, you can't do that!" exclaimed Hakan indignantly. "St-stop!"  
  
Galea took the dagger from her cavern of fangs and threw it at the old, kindly gatekeeping squirrel, slaying him on the spot with one final scream.  
  
Abbess Leafswirl was awakened by Hakan's scream. She jumped out of bed and ran through the Abbey to the grounds to see Galea leading with Cravvu the fox.  
  
"TRAITOR!" she yelled. Galea turned her head to see the small mole-Abbess standing in front of the sandstone Abbey. Galea drew her dagger and ran at Leafswirl.  
  
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Fryungle saw Leafswirl yelling something, but it was indistinct. He watched as Galea, the traitor, raced towards his Abbess, a dagger raised high. All Leafswirl could do was watch. Suddenly, the same armored mouse that had visited him before boomed, "Fryungle, Redwall needs you!"  
  
Fryungle woke up, screaming, "TRAITOR!" He leapt out of bed and ran through the Abbey, stopping by the kitchen to grab a sharp knife. He burst through the front doors, which were ajar, and saw the dagger of Galea descending down on his Abbess.  
  
"REDDDDDDDDDDDDWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALL!" he screamed, and leapt at Galea, but her dagger had already descended down on the Abbess. Abbess Leafswirl fell to the ground.  
  
"NO!" roared Fryungle, and slashed repeatedly at Galea, tears of rage and of sorrow blinding him. Finally, the limp form of Galea fell to the ground, never to rise again.  
  
Fryungle dropped the kitchen knife and knelt beside the limp form of a mole. "Abbess, Abbess Leafswirl, no, no, please, oh no..."  
  
"There's nothing you can do for her, Fryungle. You slew Galea, who I now see is a rat. Come with me, young 'un."  
  
Fryungle looked into the face of Kella. Fryungle stood up and grabbed the dagger and the kitchen knife.  
  
"I killed a living beast," sobbed Fryungle, holding the kitchen knife, now stained with blood, in his paw. "I – " Suddenly, the poem that Martin had recited came back to him.  
  
"The only truth lies in you,  
  
You who will be with Leafswirl  
  
When she passes on.  
  
If you dare to stray from this Abbey  
  
Then Kabble  
  
And his rabble  
  
Will get you and Redwall!  
  
In Spring of the Six  
  
You will see  
  
The Six shall come home  
  
(With one leading her perilous beasts)  
  
But only five shall see  
  
And the other  
  
Shall See."  
  
"What's that, mate?" asked Kella. Fryungle gazed around as Redwallers fought against the vermin.  
  
"Martin told that to me. It now makes sense. I was with Leafswirl when she passes on." Fryungle shook his head. "I know who it means now, but why me?"  
  
"Martin knows best, mate. You'll unnerstand it soon enough." Kella helped Fryungle stand up and led him into the Abbey.  
  
() I...killed...the...Abbess...  
  
Yes, that plan was in store for quite a while. Next chapter will be called "The Final Battle, Part One". Then Chapter Twenty-Eight will be called "The Final Battle, Part Two". I think that then there will be Chapter Twenty- Nine, then a Thirtieth Chapter, then an Epilogue. Mmm-hmm. I can't believe I'm close to the end. Thanks to everyone who reviewed me! ()  
  
)( By the way, if you ever wanted to read any of my original fiction, go I'm currently working on "Rokla the Meracle Maker". )( 


	27. The Final Battle at Salamandastron

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN, THE FINAL BATTLE AT SALAMANDASTRON  
  
() I know that I said that this chapter would be "The Final Battle, Part One", but I changed the name. Okay? Okay. Let's go. ()  
  
)( I just wanted to say a quick thing: Tyrossa and Waterfish are about fifteen. Varsha is seventeen. Odell is eleven. His Dibbun mates are six to eight. Joranzo is twenty-four. Ikkala and Moonflash are twenty-two. Fryungle is sixteen. Abbess Leafswirl was about forty-nine. (I'm doing it in years because I don't know how Mr. Jacques does seasons.) Okay, I just needed to write this all down to keep it in my mind, so because I plan to carry out something special...$evil grin$ )(  
  
Tyrossa looked up from his bowl of dinner soup to see a pretty ottermaid sitting across from him, eating enthusiastically.  
  
"Hi," greeted the ottermaid as she downed a piece of pie. "You need lots of food to keep up your strength. I learned that a while ago. By the way, my name is Waterfish Ottermaid. What's your name?"  
  
"T-tyrossa," the otter managed to get out.  
  
"Nice t'meet you." Waterfish grinned. Next to her was a young otter who had barely touched his food.  
  
"What's wrong, young 'un?" asked Tyrossa.  
  
"Battle," replied the otter gloomily.  
  
"Cheer up, Odell," Waterfish urged the young otter. "You won't be kilt if you stick by me."  
  
Odell looked up at Waterfish. "I'm not afraid of being kilt. We all gotta die sooner or later. I'm afraid of the killin'. I don't want to take a life."  
  
The three otters were very quiet for a moment.  
  
"No one wants to take a life, young 'un, but in a battle between you or them, it's better to be them, because they are on the side of evil. I'm fighting to keep myself free, but also to keep this land free of anybeast who will live here in future seasons. Don't worry, young 'un. You can do it."  
  
Waterfish put a comforting paw around Odell's shoulders. "Odell Kiggum, ever since I met you, you have been my mate. You would talk with me, you would stick up for me, and you didn't care who I was or how I had gotten here, as long as I was kind to you and your friend. You followed me with your Dibbun friends from Redwall to deep into Mossflower Woods. You traveled through Mossflower Country with me. I wouldn't call you a Warrior, Kiggum, but I would call you a friend."  
  
Odell looked into Waterfish's face and nodded. "I'll try to be both, to you and to everygoodbeast in Mossflower Country."  
  
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Quidjill stood next to an arrow slit. She looked outside quickly.  
  
"They're all quiet," she reported to her brother, "but I'll keep an eye on 'em, wot wot. It's almost dark."  
  
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Deyinvo assembled his crew.  
  
"Lissen to me, you lot. If anything goes wrong – which it shouldn't – I will kill and torture everyone one of ye!"  
  
The vermin shuddered.  
  
"Now, follow me and Kabble. We'll lead you to victory!"  
  
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Quidjill leaned against the wall, bored. There was no sign of life outside. Varsha sauntered over.  
  
"Anything going on?"  
  
"Nothing, marm," replied Quidjill. "It's all quiet out there. Wouldn't be surprised if they was dead or gone, wot! It's jolly silent!"  
  
Varsha looked outside. It was completely dark.  
  
"Hmm. Something's not right." Varsha shook her head. "I must go eat. I'll bring you some dinner, Jill. Good luck. If there's any sign of vermin, give a shout."  
  
"Give a shout if there's a sign of the blighters. Right! Will do."  
  
Varsha sat in the Dining Hall, eating, when there was a yell.  
  
"Milady, quick, vermin!"  
  
Everybeast, including those that were too old to fight, leapt up and followed Varsha to Quidjill, who was pointing out the arrow slit.  
  
"Vermin, milady, vermin!" she rasped. Varsha looked out the arrow slit.  
  
"To arms, to arms!" roared Varsha. Everybeast raced around, getting their weapons. Varsha could only see one thing through her reddening mist: Kabble Ionaeyes the Magician!  
  
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Varsha raced out of Salamandastron with the rest of the inhabitants following behind, roaring their war cries: "Eeeeeulaaaaliiiaaa! Redddwaaaaaaall!!"  
  
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All of the vermin drew their weapons and shouted as one: "Deeeeyiiiiinvoooo Eeejuuunn!"  
  
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The two armies clashed. Some in the front row of fighters were instantly slain by the weapons of their foes, but others slashed with swords and javelins, fighting for their lives and for victory. One group under a female Badgerlady fighting for justice and benevolence, one group under a male Warlord fighting to evil and malevolence.  
  
Varsha saw Kabble through the crowd, hiding at the back, like the true "warrior" he was. Varsha extracted Flamebird from the chest of a stoat and roared, "Kaaaaaaaabble Iiiooonaaaaeeeyyeees!"  
  
Kabble turned and, with a look of fright on his face, gaped at Varsha's large form.  
  
"I have come destroy yoooooooooooou!" she boomed. "Come and fiiiiiiight, Kaaaaaaaabble!"  
  
The rat began backing away, fumbling for his sword. He held it out, shaking with fear.  
  
"Stay back, Varsha. I can perform magic, y'know!" he cried.  
  
"I've known you long enough to know that you can only perform magic when you're calm and you need lots of time. By the time you perform magic, your spirit will be soaring for Hellgates!" roared Varsha. She leapt in the air, her sword descending upon the malicious rat. Kabble rolled to the side, avoiding the powerful battleblade.  
  
Kabble Ionaeyes the Magician leapt up and began running away from Varsha.  
  
"Crazy badger," he muttered, scared witless. He tripped over a stone, going down with a yell. Varsha was upon him like a starved wolf upon a freshly killed elk; she began pummeling him, slashing with her sword and biting with her savage teeth. She wore no armor, needed no other weapon beside from the sword that she had clenched in her tight, fisted paw as she slammed Kabble repeatedly. Kabble yelled and screamed at each punch, kick, bite, or lash of the sword.  
  
"You can perform no magic now, Kabby! You can perform none now!" Varsha screamed. Kabble's eyes grew wide with fear as Varsha's fist holding the hilt of her sword flew down to Kabble's face. He screamed in pain as Varsha roared in his face, "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeuuuuuuuuuuuuulaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaliiiiiiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaa!"  
  
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Waterfish slashed at a ferret. The ferret stumbled back, blood flowing from her chest. Waterfish advanced on her, the dirk that used to be Kabble's raised.  
  
"Die, vermin!" she hissed, and chopped off the ferret's head.  
  
Waterfish looked around for a new victim and saw Lord Deyinvo Ejunn, battling with Martin's sword. Waterfish held her sword in two paws above her head and yelled, "Reddddddwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllll!"  
  
Deyinvo saw her just in time. He raised Martin's sword, clashing it against Waterfish's dirk. The two thrust, parried, slashed, jumped, hacked, and whacked at each other. Waterfish advanced, her dirk flicking from side to side, hissing through the air as it tried to reach Deyinvo.  
  
Deyinvo parried an attack and lunged. Waterfish ducked, but the sword nicked her shoulder, giving her a harsh wound. Waterfish gave a snarl of rage and began slashing at Deyinvo so fiercely that all the ermine could do was defend him; he couldn't get an attack in.  
  
"You stole Martin the Warrior's sword. I did not know Martin nor have any special relationship with anyone at Redwall, but they let me stay there. They were kind. And I vowed not to talk to any Redwaller. Well, I'm repaying them," Waterfish gritted out from between her teeth. With a roar, she jumped up and brought the sword down, down between Deyinvo's ears, screaming, "Reddwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall!"  
  
That was the end of Deyinvo Ejunn, Ermine Warlord and Conqueror.  
  
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Waterfish staggered away from the ermine. She fell on the ground on her knees, terribly wounded. Through her last battle with Deyinvo she had gotten many injuries. She fell onto her stomach and blacked out.  
  
() Can't wait till the next chapter! Will start it NOW! () 


	28. The Final Battle at Redwall

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT, THE FINAL BATTLE AT REDWALL  
  
"Redwaaaaaaaall!" yelled Kella as she whacked a rat around the face with her loaded sling.  
  
"Logalogalogalogalog!" exclaimed the Guosim as they charged at vermin. Log- a-Log Quiodia ran at fox, Rofdill the fox, waving her shrew rapier. Rofdill held out his blade and crashed it against the rapier. Log-a-Log sliced at Rofdill's footpaws. The fox leapt over the rapier, but not quick enough. One footpaw was chopped off. Rofdill's loud and agonized scream of pain was the last sound he made!  
  
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Fryungle was in the Infirmary, sitting on a bed, sobbing quietly for the loss of his dearest Abbess.  
  
"Leafswirl, Leafswirl, Leafswirl, no, Abbess Leafswirl, you can't have gone to the Dark Forest," he wept to himself. He stood up angrily, his fists clenched, tears still falling from his eyes. "I've claimed that I hated some things in my life, but the one thing that I hate the most is Galea the traitorous, lying scummy rat! We gave her hospitality, and she betrays us. Just like a rat!"  
  
Fryungle sat back down on the bed to continue weeping. He soon cried himself to sleep over the noise of battle. It was then that Martin visited him again.  
  
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The armored mouse stood next to his sword, his mouth not moving but his voice roaring around the Caverns of Dream, "Fryungle, you will soon lead what I created with my friends. Do not be ashamed, or afraid, to weep. Be the first to admit that you loved Abbess Leafswirl. She was kind, she was brave, and she took on a great roll, one more dangerous and difficult than the roll of a Warrior. Be prepared, Fryungle. You will have to face one who may not forgive you. Admit your mistakes, boyo. Apologize. Do not skulk or hold a grudge. Admit mistakes..."  
  
With that, the mouse gave a friendly wave good-bye, and Fryungle's dreams went black.  
  
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Log-a-Log saw a fox hiding behind a group of vermin. She raced at the fox, knowing that it was Cravvu.  
  
"Logalogalogalogalogalogalogalogalogalogalooooooooooog!" she cried, her rapier in both paws over her head. She leapt at Cravvu, blood oozing from her many wounds, but the shrew-warrior didn't care. Log-a-Log knew that a vermin army was like a snake: cut off the head, the leader, and the rest thrashes about to a while and then lies still, unable to do anything with a leader.  
  
Cravvu jumped out of the way of the shrew. Log-a-Log's rapier stuck in the ground. She drew it from the grass and turned to face Cravvu, but he had turned tail and run! Quiodia lifted her short legs and raced at Cravvu. Cravvu turned around to see who was following him.  
  
Cravvu ran, at full speed, straight into the Abbey's outside walls. He bashed his skull, breaking it. Bones shattered and went into his brain, instantly slaying him.  
  
Log-a-Log shouted one word, "Guosim!" and slashed at Cravvu's body. She leapt onto the ramparts and roared out, "CRAVVU IS DEAD!"  
  
The words echoed around the Abbey. At first, Log-a-Log Quiodia thought that it was her yell that was echoing, but soon realized that it was the vermin.  
  
"Cravvu's dead, he's dead, he's gone!" screamed the vermin. They tried to get away, but the otters ran up to the ramparts and twirled their slings and threw their javelins, slaying the rest of the horde of Deyinvo, Kabble, and Cravvu, dead Warlords and Conquerors.  
  
() Okay, thanks to everyone who's reviewed. () 


	29. Drawing to a Close

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE, DRAWING TO A CLOSE  
  
"Badgerlady!" Varsha turned at the sound of a jolly voice. She saw Yuppas Scuttwitch and his wife, Dewstar, leading about sixty beasts, heading straight towards them.  
  
"What are you doing, Scuttwitch?" laughed Varsha.  
  
"We've come t'help you in battle, wot wot! Though it doesn't look like y'need much help. Did y'do Kabble in?" asked Dewstar.  
  
"Yes, I did. No more vermin left. I just hope that Redwall is okay." Varsha shook her head. "This ottermaid, Waterfish, has been in some sort of coma. It's like a trance that Kabble used to do, but Kabble is dead, and so is Deyinvo. I just hope that Deyinvo didn't kill Waterfish."  
  
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Waterfish saw blackness all around her. Then, a familiar voice began whispering in her ear, "When it is Spring, you may return to Redwall. Bring the sword with you. Give it to the Abbot. Only six of you will return, but one will be leading her perilous beasts. You will have to return back to Salamandastron to be with the one you love. Remember this: you must refuse the offer that Kella gives you. You must tell her that, if anybeast deserves it, that Kella does. Do this, and you will be able to be with the one you love. Do this for me, Songtamer Swordslash. Become Songtamer again. Become Song." The comforting voice paused. "Take up the offer that the Abbot gives you, but be sure to tell him that you must go to Salamandastron to bring back the one you love. Do this, Song. Do this..."  
  
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Extract from the diary of Badgermum Nuria  
  
The Winter of the Hectic Battle is almost halfway closed. I do think that little Cora the volemaid named it correctly! That was a crazy battle that ended the war. I hope that I never have to see another war, or battle for that matter, again. I do wonder where little Odell Kiggum is, following Waterfish. He seems to love her like a sister. I do hope they're alright.  
  
The funeral for Abbess Leafswirl is in a few hours. I must get ready.  
  
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Leafswirl was lowered into the ground. Foremole was weeping unashamed for the loss of his sister.  
  
"Would anybeast like to say a few words?" asked Nuria Firemouth quietly. Foremole stepped forward.  
  
"Leevswull wos younger'n me. Oi shudduv gone b'fore 'er, but fate is strange. She dearly luvved to dig when we wos young. She spent most o' 'er toime diggin' unnergraond. Naow, she gits to spend th' rest o' 'er toime unnergraond." Foremole stepped back, tears still falling down his face.  
  
"Any others?" asked Nuria.  
  
Fryungle stepped forward.  
  
"Our Abbess had a hard job. She had to be fair, kind, loving to everybeast, and couldn't lose her temper. She had to rule an Abbey of peace and of love. Sometimes that job is harder than the job of a Warrior. I want to be the first to say that I loved Mother Abbess Leafswirl like a real mother. She was kind to everybeast and loved us all. I hope that our next Abbot or Abbess is as kind and as loving as her."  
  
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Waterfish Ottermaid opened up a secret closet in her mind. She found her name and all of her nicknames, and took a hold of "Waterfish Ottermaid". She struggled with it for a while, and then threw "Waterfish Ottermaid" away. She was now Songtamer Swordslash!  
  
The voice kept on whispering in her ear. Slowly, Song faded away from unconsciousness to rejoin the living. She only remembered that she was now Songtamer Swordslash. 


	30. Return to Redwall

**CHAPTER THIRTY, RETURN TO REDWALL**  
  
Song told everybeast in Salamandastron about her past. They all listened intently to the story of loss and of gain, of sadness and of joy, of tears and of smiles. Throughout the whole tale, only one beast was not fully listening: Tyrossa. He was gazing raptly at Song, looking intently at the beautiful ottermaid...  
  
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Extract from the diary of Badgermum Nuria Firemouth  
  
It's the last day of the Winter of the Hectic Battle, and everyday of it young Fryungle has trudged through the snow to the ramparts to look for Odell Kiggum returning home. Alas, the young otter is not back. I am afraid that he may have been slain. Whenever I asked Fryungle if he wishes to come inside for mealtimes, he just replies:  
  
"I must look for the Six."  
  
The Six? And why does he say "six" with such authority and power, like this number is truly something powerful?  
  
The first time he said this I thought that he was kidding, as if the number six would come waltzing down the dusty road. But then he told me that this was no joke.  
  
When I had asked him where he had heard of the Six and who they were, he just replied:  
  
"It will be unveiled soon enough."  
  
Wait a moment, I can hear a voice yelling. It's shouting...  
  
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"Redddwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall!" roared a voice. "_Redwall! Redwall! Reddwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall_!"  
  
Fryungle jumped up and down, shouting, "The Six, the Six! They're here, they're here! Martin was right! The Six is here!"  
  
He waved at the eleven beasts striding up the dusty path. Nuria raced from the Abbey, shouting, "What is it, more vermin?"  
  
"No, no! It's the Six!" Fryungle exclaimed joyfully. Nuria raced to the front gate and flung it open. She saw Badgerlady Varsha Midelli, leading Lilyblossom, Majjit, Mateo, Egua, and Quidjill in the lead of war-toughened Odell, a hedgehog who looked as though he now knew the true meaning of fear, a creature that looked like a wolf but seemed to possess a kinder nature, a large, waddling owl, and a Warrior ottermaid, carrying –  
  
"_Martin's sword_!" exclaimed Nuria. Nuria ran out to greet Varsha.  
  
"Midelli, we were all afraid when you had left. We were afraid that you had gone and killed yourself!" panted Nuria.  
  
"No need to worry, Firemouth. Kabble is gone to Hellgates. I will be haunted by him no more!"  
  
Nuria swept Odell up into a huge hug. "Oh, my little Dibbun, you naughty, bad, bad bad bad bad BAD Dibbun, how could you have run away from us like that?"  
  
"I'm not a Dibbun, Nuria. I'm no baby anymore. I'm a young otter. And I ran away to help my friend, 'cos you've allus tole me that friends are th' one thing that keeps us going."  
  
Nuria gazed around at the eleven beasts. Fryungle appeared by his side.  
  
"Fryungle, if there are eleven beasts, then why did you say that you were waiting for the Six?" asked Nuria.  
  
"Martin spoke to me. He told me that in the Spring of the Six that I would see the Six, and that one would be leading her perilous beasts. That's Badgerlady Varsha."  
  
Song strode forward, holding Martin the Warrior's sword firmly in her left paw. She knelt before Fryungle, her head bowed, the sword in both paws.  
  
"Fryungle, two seasons ago you spoke words to me that nobeast could forgive. But I cannot hold a grudge against you. I was visited by somebeast in my dreams that I hold very special to my heart, someone who I did not believe would ever visit me."  
  
"Martin?" guessed Fryungle.  
  
"No. It was Bowfire Swordslash, my brother. My true name is Songtamer Swordslash. I know that I have been reluctant to accept help from any of you, but that was because I had been suffering a great loss. I do not expect you to forgive me for being skeptic of you, but it would wonderful if you accepted me into your community." Song looked up. "I need consent from the Father Abbot."  
  
"We have no Abbot," interrupted Nuria, nonplussed.  
  
Song glared at Nuria. "I thought the same, until Bowfire showed me a picture of this Abbot. You see, Bowfire has been helping me See into the future. He spoke to me about a poem that Martin delivered to a certain mouse. It goes, 'Five shall see/And the other/Shall See'. Now, as Bowfire spoke to me I saw the words running through my head. I saw it as if somebeast has written it down. I knew what it means. The five warriors will see what is about to happen, but I have already Seen it." Song took a deep breath. "Gather every Redwaller."  
  
Nuria and Fryungle did so without question.  
  
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Every Redwaller was gathered on the lawn. Foremole, Nuria, Kella, and Fryungle were in the front. Odell stood next to Song, whispering, "Hey, how come you never tole us about any of this?"  
  
Song looked mystified. "I had forgotten all about it, but then...it came back. I dunno, mate. It's strange." Song shrugged. "But I'll get used to it. I've gotten use to many a things in my days."  
  
Song held Martin's sword in front of her like she had before. She knelt down in front of Fryungle.  
  
"I name you, Fryungle Mouse of Redwall Abbey, Father Abbot!"  
  
There was a gasp. Not many had expected that. Then Kella spoke up.  
  
"Good choice, Song!" Kella helped Song stand up. "Now, I have a proposition. How about _you_ become Skipper of Otters?"  
  
Song shook her head. "I truly cannot accept. If there was one otter who was brave enough, strong enough, and worthy enough. It's not me." Song paused. "Kella, it's you!"  
  
"_M-me_?" gasped Kella.  
  
"Yes! You!"  
  
"Of COURSE you, Kella!"  
  
"We was thinkin' about telling you t'take up the job!"  
  
"So, what d'you say, Kella?"  
  
Kella was quiet for a while. Then she grinned. "I'll do it!"  
  
"Yay, Kella – I mean, Skipper!"  
  
Fryungle shook his head slowly. "Me, F-father Abbot?"  
  
"It was a good choice," Nuria murmured.  
  
"Being an Abbot or Abbess is hard."  
  
"That's why the spirits of our dead loved ones chose you. You can do it, Fryungle. I believe in you." Song patted Fryungle's shoulder.  
  
Fryungle looked up at Song. "Songtamer Swordslash, you would not take up the position of Skipper of Otters. But will you take up the position of Warrior of Redwall?"  
  
Song nodded. "I will do this, Father Abbot, but I must go back to Salamandastron and retrieve somebeast who I love."  
  
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As Song, Varsha, Mateo, Quidjill, Lilyblossom, Egua, and Majjit all got ready to head back to Salamandastron for Song to bring the otter whom she loved back to Redwall, Odell came tearing across the lawn.  
  
"Wait, Song, wait!" he shouted. Song turned and Odell gave her a hug.  
  
"Be careful, Songtamer Swordslash, Warrior of Redwall."  
  
Odell then strode away across the grounds, fading from sight as he met up with his Dibbun playmates.  
  
() This is the last chapter! The next chapter is the Epilogue, and you get to see what otter Songtamer loves! Aww...how cuuuuuuuuuuute. $winks$ ()


	31. Epilogue

EPILOGUE  
  
Extract from the writing of Kaikura Red Squirrel  
  
It has been nine seasons since the Spring of the Six. It's also been eight seasons since our Abbey Warrior, Songtamer Swordslash, came back from Salamandastron with this mysterious otter that she loves. It turned out to be Tyrossa, the otter who met the traitor Galea, the only beast that our Father Abbot ever slew. It was hard, really, to imagine quick-tempered, runty, foolish Fryungle as an Abbot, but then it was always hard to image cold, spiteful, dead-like "Waterfish" as our Abbey Warrior, also.  
  
Song and Tyrossa have been married for some while now. They have a daughter and a son, and are expecting a third kit soon! The daughter is the eldest and is named Honeyflower Egua Varsha Tiponya Riley Alyssa Lilyblossom Quidjill Songtamer, but they just call her Evtral. Their son is named Bowfire Eyshine Riley Odell Fshio Majjit Mateo Orruman Korufylo Tyrossa, but everybeast calls him Berofmok. The kits will be trained to wield a sword and some weapons of course, but I heard Song telling Odell, our new Gate-Keeper, that she hopes that Evtral and Berofmok never have to see the horrors of war as we all did. Odell and Song seemed to have been friends ever since before I even was aware of this strange ottermaid that had arrived at our Abbey so long ago.  
  
All has been well in Mossflower Woods. Fshio, Chieftain of the Zeespike Caverns, has happily told us that he has not seen any vermin wandering around. Log-a-Log Quiodia has told us that there are no vermin in the waters, as she and the shrews have been watching them. Kella – I mean, Skipper – has been checking the rivers with Log-a-Log.  
  
It is so hard to remember to say "Skipper" instead of "Kella"! In my mind, the kindly otter who has taken stead of her husband will always be Kella, nothing more, nothing less.  
  
The new Foremole, our little Fawn, the molemaid who I used to play with, has just told me that Abbot Fryungle has found a name for this season: "the Zummer o' th' Cabbilt Skoiy". I translated that to "the Summer of the Cobalt Sky". The sky has been a cobalt color for a long time. It's very beautiful.  
  
Oh, I can hear the Matthias and the Methuselah Bells ringing! I guess that means that Song has had her otterkit, and that I should head up to the Abbey to congratulate her. She did save my life from those adders many seasons ago.  
  
Many young ones can be heard, chattering about war and about battle and slaying. They believe that it is what true warriors do and that that is the exciting life.  
  
They can take the exciting life. I'd rather sit back and live in peace in Redwall.  
  
Kaikura Red Squirrel, Recorder of Redwall Abbey in Mossflower Country  
  
() Hm. I finished this fic. Next fic...I don't have the name of it, but I'll find a name as soon I as finish the prologue and a few chapters, then a title might form.  
  
HINT: It may just be called "Before Martin" or "When He Was a Child". I already have the summary planned out. Look out for it soon! ()  
  
)( I am in a very happy mood. Don't ruin it by flaming me. )( 


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